First, I want to express my gratitude to Priscilla Shirer and her Bible study, The Armor of God, for helping me see the danger of spiritual laziness and apathy among us as daughters and sons of God. Through this study, I was confronted with my own areas of complacency—and as my eyes were opened, I began to see how deeply this same apathy has settled into the world around us and, at times, within the Church itself.
That realization was both humbling and awakening. It stirred my heart to look honestly at where faith has grown comfortable, quiet, or passive. With that said, let’s get into it.
Recognizing Spiritual Laziness in Our Walk of Faith
In many ways, we have grown comfortable in our faith. Without realizing it, spiritual laziness has quietly crept into our lives and into our churches—not out of rebellion, but out of ease. What once required intentional devotion has, at times, been replaced by convenience.
When we look around, it’s worth pausing to reflect. Our churches are often designed to make us comfortable—coffee shops in the lobby, activities to keep children entertained, and opportunities for older kids to step out of worship because it feels easier than teaching them the beauty of reverence. Prayer times have shortened. Altar calls have faded. Distraction is often tolerated where awe once lived.
These observations are not meant to criticize, but to invite honest self-examination. When did worship become something we fit in rather than center our lives around? When did prayer feel optional instead of essential? When did the house of God begin to resemble a social gathering more than a sacred space?
This isn’t about rejecting modern expressions of church—it’s about remembering the heart of worship. A return to reverence, prayer, and a genuine hunger for God may be exactly what our faith—and our churches—need most.
When Faith Grows Lazy: A Call to Self-Examination
Next, it’s important to look inward—at ourselves. In an age of endless content, it’s easy to rely on sermons, quotes, or short devotionals to carry our faith. But have we become dependent on Scripture being spoon-fed to us instead of engaging with God’s Word personally?
Many of us intend to read our Bibles, yet when the moment comes, everything else suddenly feels more urgent. Notifications pull at our attention. Tasks seem more pressing. Days pass, and the Bible remains unopened. It’s worth asking ourselves honestly: when was the last time we sat down to truly read and study Scripture on our own?
God’s Word was never meant to be experienced only through others. When we neglect personal study, we risk spiritual weakness and confusion. Without a solid foundation in Scripture, it becomes easier to misunderstand truth or fall prey to teachings that sound good but lack biblical grounding. A personal, consistent relationship with God’s Word is not optional—it is essential for a healthy, growing faith.
Another area worth examining is our worship. Has it grown flat or routine? Do we find ourselves checking the time, wondering when the service will end, or mentally planning what we need to do next? Sometimes we slip out early, before the final prayer and altar call, telling ourselves we’ve already received what we came for.
That “I just need this part” mindset can quietly reshape our posture before God. Worship and praise should be something we offer our Loving God. True worship isn’t measured by convenience or efficiency—it’s an expression of reverence, gratitude, and love.
God deserves more than leftover attention. He is worthy of our full presence, our focus, and whatever energy it takes to honor Him wholeheartedly. Worship isn’t about how long the service lasts; it’s about whether our hearts remain open, engaged, and surrendered. When we give God our whole selves in worship, we often discover that He meets us in deeper and more meaningful ways than we expected.
Another honest question worth asking is how we trust God when life becomes difficult. Do we find ourselves leaning on Him only when things are going well? When trouble comes, does our faith waver—or do we pull away until the storm passes?
It’s easy to praise God in seasons of blessing, but faith is often revealed in moments of uncertainty, loss, and waiting. Some of us may unknowingly slip into what could be called “fair-weather faith”—turning to God only when we are desperate, but growing distant when life feels stable or comfortable.
God invites us into a deeper relationship than that. He desires our trust not just in crisis, but in every season. Faith that endures isn’t built only in moments of need—it’s strengthened when we choose to walk with Him consistently, whether life feels calm or chaotic.
Sometimes faith is threatened not by hardship, but by disappointment.
When things don’t unfold the way we expected, it’s easy to think, “This just isn’t working out for me.”
It brings to mind a moment from the movie The Polar Express, when Billy says that “Christmas doesn’t work out for me” — not because it isn’t real, but because it didn’t meet his expectations. He had lost faith in what Christmas really meant.
At times, we can approach faith the same way. When prayers seem unanswered, when life feels unfair, or when God’s timing doesn’t align with our own, we may feel tempted to walk away. We may quietly believe that God has failed us, or decide it’s easier to trust our own understanding rather than continue following a path where the outcome isn’t clear.
Yet faith was never meant to be sustained only by visible results. Scripture reminds us that “we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
God’s faithfulness is not measured by how closely life matches our expectations, but by His unchanging presence—even when we don’t yet see the full picture.
True faith stays rooted, not because everything makes sense, but because God remains trustworthy.
The Hidden Dangers of Lazy Faith Among Christians
#1: Laziness in our faith keeps us from becoming who God created us to be and living for God!
#2. When faith grows lazy, we unlock the door, open the door, and give the enemy full access.
This isn’t just coincidence, it’s spiritual warfare.
I love this quote because it forced me to confront my own apathy. It helped me recognize something important: the enemy is not lazy.
While I have been distracted or disengaged at times, the spiritual battle has continued. My apathy didn’t stop the fight—it only made me less aware of it.
In those moments, I realized how easily complacency can give the enemy unnecessary access, not just to my own life, but to the lives of those I love. I wasn’t seeing the full scope of the opposition, and more importantly, I wasn’t seeing the strength of the army standing with me through God.
This realization reminded me of a powerful truth from Scripture: “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16). When our eyes are opened, fear gives way to confidence—not because the battle disappears, but because we remember who fights for us.
Ways the Enemy Wears Believers Down
One of the enemy’s most effective strategies is not dramatic failure, but slow erosion. Discouragement settles in quietly. Weariness becomes constant and unexplained. Motivation fades, and spiritual passion grows dim. The enemy also attacks what matters most—our marriages, our children, and our families.
Over time, we begin to feel too tired to pray, too distracted to listen, and too overwhelmed to move forward.
He convinces us that spiritual growth will happen automatically, without effort or discipline. He overwhelms us with options until we do nothing at all, whispering promises of “someday obedience.” He minimizes small compromises, assuring us they don’t matter—until they quietly add up.
Sometimes the enemy even uses people within the church to wound us. This is painful, and sadly, it is not uncommon. Many believers have experienced hurt in a church setting. But it’s important to remember: we must not judge God based on human failure or the enemy’s misuse of imperfect people. Churches can be full of sincere believers and still lack the power and leading of the Holy Spirit. That reality can be deeply discouraging—but it should drive us closer to God, not away from Him.
The Enemy Often Uses Laziness—Not Just Obvious Sin
The enemy does not always rely on obvious or dramatic sin to derail believers. More often, he uses comfort, distraction, and passivity. Jesus Himself warned about this kind of spiritual laziness in Matthew 25, where the issue was not rebellion—but lack of preparation and action.
In the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:2–13), five were wise and five were foolish. The foolish virgins did not bring oil for their lamps. They didn’t openly sin. They didn’t reject the bridegroom. They were simply unprepared. While they delayed and tried to fix things at the last minute, the bridegroom arrived, and the door was shut. Their laziness cost them the opportunity to enter. Jesus’ warning is clear: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
Jesus continues this teaching in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30). Two servants worked diligently and multiplied what they were given. The third servant did nothing. He buried his talent out of fear and waited for a miracle rather than work faithfully. His master’s response was direct: “You wicked and lazy servant.” The issue again was not immorality, but inactivity.
Spiritual laziness does not disappear on its own, and spiritual growth does not happen automatically. Growth comes through small, faithful steps taken with intention. It begins when we guard our time with God, remove distractions, seek accountability, and respond immediately when He speaks.
This journey is not about rules—it is about relationship. When love for God replaces duty, obedience naturally follows. Faith becomes active, not forced.
Now is the time to respond. God has already given us everything we need, and the Holy Spirit stands ready to empower us. We must refuse to settle for spiritual mediocrity. Instead, we are called to step forward in obedience, allow our lives to bear fruit, and shine the light of Christ into the world. This is the moment to live boldly, walk faithfully, profess our faith, and PRAY!
PRAY!!!
Prayer is essential—it is not a step we can afford to skip. When we neglect consistent, active prayer, we leave ourselves vulnerable, giving the enemy an advantage. Prayer removes the veil, bringing clarity and placing the enemy on notice. It unlocks the power God has already promised us in spiritual battles.
Jesus made this clear when He said His house would be a house of prayer, not a platform for personalities or performance. Prayer is not optional; it is a weapon.
Through prayer, we receive strength, discernment, and authority. If we want to stand firm, walk boldly, and live victoriously in faith, we must take hold of the weapons that prayer provides.
As Priscilla Shirer reminds us, prayer is the key that activates every piece of the Armor of God.
PRAY: A Prayer Strategy from Priscilla Shirer
PRAY (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yes)
A Lazy Christian of Faith Comes to an End TODAY!! Starting With Me, Starting With You
The call is clear and the time is now. Faith demands that we wake up, rise up, and take action. It requires us to be serious, strategic, and intentional in how we live, believe, and follow God.
Prayer
Lord God Almighty—Jehovah, Yahweh, Father
Lord, we come before You with hearts full of thanksgiving for all that You have done for us—even in seasons of laziness and weakness. We thank You for Your faithfulness, for the blessings we have already seen, and for the blessings yet to come. You have been good to us in ways we often fail to recognize.
Forgive our previous sins and apathy to our Faith in you Lord. Forgive our future sins and forgive those times that we get comfortable and forget to praise and worship your name.
Forgive us, Lord, for seasons of laziness, distraction, and complacency. We choose now to seek You with intention and purpose. Make us strategic and alert against the enemy’s schemes. Let our actions be purposeful. Let our steps be focused and obedient.
Remove every distraction from our lives that pulls us away from You. Take away anything that feeds passivity and replace it with hunger for Your presence. Draw us into a deeper, real relationship with You—marked by faith, obedience, and love. Help us walk as children of the light, bearing fruit that glorifies You.
We come before You today and choose to stand for You. We declare that we are believers and followers of You alone. We are not ashamed of the gospel, and we want the world to know where we stand. Joshua 24:15 says “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. You are the alpha and the omega. You are the beginning and the end.
Lord, today we refuse to be held back. We break every chain of bondage in the name of Jesus. We declare freedom over our spirits and authority over the enemy. Satan, you have no hold on us anymore. We declare that the enemy has no hold on us anymore, for “whom the Son sets free is free indeed”.
Father, hear our hearts. We love You. We need You. We humble ourselves before You and ask that this altar be filled with believers crying out—not only for ourselves, but for this nation and all that is in it.
We surrender ourselves fully to You today.
We pray all of this in the mighty and victorious name of Jesus,
Amen.
Thank you again, Priscilla Shirer, for your faithful teaching and obedience. Thank you for opening my eyes, ears, and spirit, and for teaching me how to fully use the Armor of God.
