Today we are going to be talking about a subject matter that is so germane in our walk with God, and one that God does not joke with. We want to examine: The Danger of Spiritual Stagnation and Lukewarmness. Spiritual Stagnation and Lukewarmness are two major words that describes an unpalatable spiritual state any child of God should never aspire to be in. Even though the two words both have different meanings, they both describe a situation in the life of a believer that does not give glory to God.

 

Spiritual stagnation occurs when a believer no longer grows in the things of the Spirit, and here is a picture that the Holy Spirit showed me to buttress this point. A believer’s life before God can be likened to a tree that has been planted by God and which is expected to produce fruits. Isaiah 61:3b says: “That they may be called (talking about you and I) the trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” Did you see that? Your life is expected to give glory to God by the fruit you bear or by your growth. Each time this tree does not produce any fruit, it brings about disappointment to God.

 

Jesus gave a beautiful parable that gave a perspective to this analogy. Luke 13:6-9 (TPT), the Bible says:

 

“Then Jesus told them this parable: “There was a man who planted a fig tree in his orchard. But when he came to gather fruit from his tree he found none, for it was barren and had no fruit. So, he said to his gardener, ‘For the last three years I’ve come to gather figs from my tree but it remains fruitless. What a waste! Go ahead and cut it down!’ “But the gardener said, ‘Sir, we should leave it one more year. Let me fertilize and cultivate it, then let’s see if it will produce fruit. If it doesn’t bear fruit by next year, we’ll cut it down.’”

 

The man in that Scripture represents God, and we can see how disappointed He was because the fig tree He had planted had refused to yield fruit for three years. A lot of people have been born again for several years now, and still; they have not grown past the level of babes in the things of the Spirit. The gardener is the Holy Spirit and we can see from that passage how He is constantly pleading for more time for the believer with God to allow more time for growth. The truth is: GOD IS FRUIT CONSCIOUS. GOD IS GROWTH CONSCIOUS as well.

 

This statement by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:6 can buttress the above assertion. Paul said “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” Why did God give the increase? Because God is result oriented. A number of places in the Bible, the child/children of God has been referred to as a tree. In Jeremiah 17:7-8, the Bible says:

 

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
And whose hope is the Lord.
⁸ For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

 

God never plants anyone to remain at the tree level. You are expected to bear fruits and this is why you cannot afford to be spiritually stagnant or complacent. In case you don’t know, anyone who is spiritually stagnant or complacent, God says He will punish. In Zephaniah 1:12 (AMP), the Bible says concerning Jerusalem:

 

“It will come about at that time
That I will search Jerusalem with lamps
And I will punish the men
Who [like old wine] are stagnant in spirit,
Who say in their hearts,
‘The Lord will not do good, nor will He do evil.’

 

The latter part of this Jeremiah says something profound. It says that you will never cease from yielding fruit. In case you aren’t convinced about that, let me show you another Scripture. Ezekiel 19:10, the Bible says “your mother was like a vine in your bloodline, planted by the waters, fruitful and full of branches because of many waters.”

 

Lukewarmness shows a state where a man or a woman shows lack of interest or excitement or energy about spiritual things. In Revelation 3:16, the Bible says: “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” This verse showed us categorically God’s disposition to anyone who is lukewarm. What God is expecting from us is spiritual fervency and not lukewarmness. Romans 12:10-11 says: “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; ¹¹ not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”

 

To be fervent in spirit simply talks about having a burning zeal for the things of God. Romans 12:11 (TPT) says: “Be enthusiastic to serve the Lord, keeping your passion toward Him boiling hot! Radiate with the glow of the Holy Spirit and let Him fill you with excitement as you serve Him.” Did you see that? That is what it exactly means to be fervent in spirit, boiling for God; even in the face of opposition. The three Hebrew brothers: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego gave a classic example of what it means to burn for God. Even when death was staring at them in the face, that fervency was still there.

 

They said to king Nebuchadnezzar:

 

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Daniel 3:16-18

 

God does not expect from us to be spiritually stagnant, and He also does not want us to be lukewarm.

 

Things That Leads to Spiritual Stagnation and Lukewarmness

 

1. Deception of Riches

It is possible for people to rely so much on their riches and because of this, not pay much attention to his spirituality. Jesus told the story of a rich young ruler that came to Him in the book of Matthew 19:16-24. The young man came to Jesus and said “what shall I do that I may have eternal life?” Jesus said to Him in return: “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness,’ ¹⁹ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

 

What am I saying in essence? Deception of riches can make a person not to be spiritually sensitive or alive to God. If you read the latter part of that story of the rich young ruler, Jesus said to His disciples “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” People can because of their wealth or riches not have time for the things that would make them fervent to God.

 

The two anchor Scriptures we read about spiritual stagnation and lukewarmness also gave credence to this assertion and I want us to read them. In Revelation 3:16-17, Jesus said: “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”

 

If you also examine the book of Zephaniah 1:12-13 (AMP), the Bible says:

 

“It will come about at that time
That I will search Jerusalem with lamps
And I will punish the men
Who [like old wine] are stagnant in spirit,
Who say in their hearts,
‘The Lord will not do good, nor will He do evil.’

“Furthermore, their wealth will become plunder
And their houses a desolation.
Yes, they will build houses but not live in them,
And plant vineyards but not drink their wine.”

 

I took my time to meditate on the verse 13 to ask why and the Spirit of the Lord said to me that that is what has given rise to their spiritual stagnancy. So, deception of riches can make a person slid into that spiritual state of stagnation and lukewarmness.

 

2. Failure to let go of the Baggage of the past

It is true that you have been born again, and you have surrendered your life totally to the Lordship of Christ, but, you have not let go of the baggage of your former life, this has the capacity to grand your spiritual growth and makes you a lukewarm Christian. See what the Scripture says in 1 Peter 1:22-23, 2:1-3:

 

“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, ²³ having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever. Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, ² as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

 

So, failure to let go of the baggage of the past, of the behaviors and attitudes of your former life, can become an impediment for your spiritual growth and makes you a perpetual lukewarm Child of God.

 

How to Put an End to Spiritual Stagnation and Lukewarmness

The first sure way out of spiritual stagnation and lukewarmness is to stay perpetually dead to sin and alive to God. Romans 6:5-11 says: For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, ⁶ knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁷ For he who has died has been freed from sin. ⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, ⁹ knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. ¹⁰ For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. ¹¹ Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

The second sure way is to submit oneself to the workings of God in your life. Philippians 2:12-13 says: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

 

I believe you have learnt something!

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Obayomi Abiola Benjamin!

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