Spiritually Stagnant Today? Satan Won’t Even Bother with You
- Arnie Cole
- 6 hours ago
- 5 min read
The devil doesn’t need you to deny Christ, he just needs you to stand still on a daily basis. Our recent survey revealed that nearly 90% of us who follow Christ are stagnant—hesitating, waiting for someone else to act. And if we ourselves don’t move, the cause of Christ stalls.
When we ran our Learned Helplessness assessment with well over 400 mature believers, the results knocked the wind out of my sails. The average score was just 24 out of 50.
Translation? Almost 9 out of 10 Christ-followers are at risk of stagnation. Not totally hopeless, not walking away from the faith. Just sitting in neutral, acting like we don’t know what to do, watching the world around us “go to hell in a handbasket,” as the saying goes.
And here’s the chilling truth: if you do nothing day after day, Satan doesn’t even need to bother with you. You’ve already taken yourself out. The tragedy is that this stagnation robs us not just of our own joy, but of our God-given purpose to share the joy of Jesus Christ with others. And our research says, if we don’t recognize what’s happening, it leaves us grumpy, worried, spiritually stagnant, ineffective, and far from the life Jesus calls us to live.
The Subtle Trap of 'Neutral' Spiritual Stagnation
Neutral feels safe. It doesn’t feel openly sinful. But it’s deadly. Our survey revealed some sobering trends among mature believers:
One-third hesitate to share their faith because they feel unqualified.
One-quarter end most days believing they’ve wasted God-given opportunities.
Another one-third compare themselves to others and conclude they’re not effective.
This is how the enemy works. He doesn’t always try to push you into outright rebellion; he often just lulls you into stillness. It’s a faith that does nothing, a life that drifts. And the truth is, a stagnant Christ Follower is as useful to Satan as a rebellious one.
The Counterfeits Are Loud
At the very moment we are stuck in neutral, something alarming is happening in our culture. “AI Jesus” chatbots are exploding in popularity. One even greets users, “Yes, my child, it is truly I who speaks to you.” And people, thousands of them, are listening. But these answers aren’t biblical. They’re generated by algorithms and shaped by popular opinion. They affirm sin, distort truth, and offer a “Jesus” who never calls anyone to repentance.
So think about it: while we hesitate to act, people are being discipled daily by an algorithm pretending to be Christ.
The Real Jesus Has Only One Plan: You
That’s why Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:20 cut right to the heart: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.” If we stay stagnant, the world will listen to counterfeits. But when you step into your role as Christ’s ambassador, the real Jesus shines through you. And no algorithm can compete with that.
And remember, “physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things” (1 Timothy 4:8). We spend hours training our bodies, our careers, our hobbies, but the training that matters most is spiritual fitness. Eternity is at stake.
A Call Out of Neutral
So, how do we move forward? Not by waiting for a big moment, not by wishing for more courage, but by taking the next small, faithful step:
Start each day thanking Jesus for the gift He has given you of another day and pray, “Lord, use me today in a special way.”
Refuse to let comparison silence you. What you do today matters.
Share the Gospel with one person, however imperfectly it comes out.
Step into one opportunity instead of walking past it.
Satan doesn’t tremble at a stagnant church. But he shakes when ordinary believers begin to live out their calling as Christ’s ambassadors.
From Research to Real Solutions
At Back to the Bible, identifying this problem is only the beginning. We don’t conduct research to expose what’s wrong; we use it to craft biblical, practical solutions that address the needs our research uncovers. In fact, the data from many of our assessments, as well as the Learned Helplessness study mentioned above, pinpointed where our efforts must focus—particularly in empowering believers to trust God’s ability to use them and in silencing the voices of helplessness that make them hesitate. We’re committed to turning these insights into action to help you and believers everywhere break out of spiritual stagnation.
Introducing Spiritually Fit Today
Enter Spiritually Fit Today, our new daily “micro-podcast” launching on Monday, October 6. Think of it as your daily spiritual workout. In just a few minutes each morning, you’ll get a dose of Scripture, encouragement, and a practical challenge to kick-start your day. It’s specifically designed to help you resist stagnation by motivating you each day to grow spiritually and to share your joy in Christ with others. It will give you the daily tools and encouragement to turn intention into transformation. In short, it’s built to help you break free from helplessness and live each day with joy and purpose.
This isn’t just another program or plug, it’s a powerful answer to a real spiritual need. We created Spiritually Fit Today as a direct response to what our research revealed. It’s a fresh, exciting opportunity to get off the sidelines and into the fight, with a little boost every single day.
Be Part of the Solution
You are needed now more than ever. That’s why I’m personally inviting you to become part of this solution. Will you join me on October 6 for the launch of Spiritually Fit Today? More details to come next week. Don’t let this be just another message you take in and set aside. Make it a turning point. Commit to tuning in each day and putting these daily prompts into practice. Imagine the impact if thousands of us take these small steps together. Our families, our churches, and our communities will see the difference as we shine the real light of Christ.
Don’t sit on the sidelines any longer. Take the step and come along with us in this daily journey toward spiritual growth and action. Resist stagnation. Live like what you do today matters—because it does.
In Christ,
–Arnie
P.S. Your score was only the beginning. It’s what you do next that matters. Spiritually Fit Daily launches this October, and it’s built to help you break free from helplessness and live each day with purpose. Don’t wait—get into God’s Word and take today back.
