Obedience Towards God

Bracston is an enthusiast of Mixed Martial Arts, also known as MMA. He spends hours reading about the best MMA strategies, watching highlight reels, and listening to seasoned trainers give advice. The only problem is, Bracston never memorizes the techniques, contemplates them or puts them into practice. So, if he ever gets into a real fight, it’s obvious he’ll get knocked around. His opponent’s jabs will land with ease, and he won’t have the reflexes or the strategy to defend himself. Similarly, many Christians today find themselves in a spiritual version of Bracston’s predicament. We may read our Bibles or attend church services, but how often do we let the word of God go in one ear and out the other without internalizing and applying what we learn? When we step into the "ring" of life, we will face right hooks from our sinful nature, upper cuts from demonic opposition and choke holds from worldly mindsets that challenge our faith. Without internalizing, personalizing, and living out the Bible, we too will get knocked around. Sometimes, the blows we absorb from our spiritual opponents are obvious and lead to things like sin, addiction, emotional distress or relational distress. At other times, when we do not follow God's word, our spiritual opponents will put us into a submission hold in which we live a pleasant life but end up missing out on fulfilling the most important purposes for which we were created. When we as Christians get into a habit of reading or hearing the Bible without living it out, that is called spiritual passivity. Spiritual passivity is likely a state we have all developed in the past and a temptation we will all face in the future. In order to properly combat spiritual passivity, let’s start by getting a clearer picture of what it is.

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Defining Spiritual Passivity

How often do you read the Bible, only to jump back into the busyness of life and never think about what you read again? Or, how many times have you talked to someone on Sunday afternoon who asked you what your church service was about that morning but you cannot remember any of it? While this is normal to do from time to time, for many of us, spiritual inactivity has become a lifestyle. Spiritual passivity is the state of neglecting to internalize, personalize and apply God's word. When we get into a pattern of neglecting to live out God’s word, our hearts get hardened, our consciences get dulled, our faith gets stale and we start to drift from the life to which God calls us. Then, we get distracted by all the noise of life, start to prioritize everything but God and slip into comfort zones that lull us into spiritual complacency. If we’re not internalizing God's word and putting it into practice, we’re missing the point. James 1:22 says, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” God doesn’t want us to just hear His word. He wants it to transform us. The purpose of Scripture is not to be admired but to be applied. So, how do we begin to break away from apathy and actively live the life Jesus has for us? Let's take a look.

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Staying Spiritually Nourished

One core contributor of spiritual passivity is that we lose spiritual power and stamina when we are spiritually malnourished. The same goes for a fighter. If you think about it, a fighter’s effectiveness is dependent on proper nourishment. If a fighter neglects to have the right amount of nutritious calories, hydration and supplements every day, he will not have endurance to sustain during a fight. Similarly, if we want to build and maintain spiritual power and stamina, we need to start with the proper daily spiritual nourishment. Spiritual nourishment and empowerment comes from engaging in consistent intimacy and intentionality with God and other followers of Jesus.

1. Nourishment from God: The most vital way to get spiritual nourishment is to have consistent intimate alone time with God. Jesus put it this way, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5). When we spend intimate alone time with God through Bible engagement, prayer and fasting, the Holy Spirit will nourish and empower us to live the Christian life.  

2. Nourishment from Others: Another non-negotiable way to get spiritual nourishment is to have consistent intentional intimacy in relationships with other followers of Jesus through church and discipleship groups. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” When we are disconnected from intentional discipleship community, we will get spiritually dull. God’s plan for our spiritual vitality includes being intimately connected to other believers who will help us learn God's word, grow in love, keep us accountable and pray for us.

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Spiritual MMA

Another core factor in developing spiritual passivity comes when we stop grappling with God's truth—when we stop fighting to internalize, understand, and live out what His word calls us to do. Just as a MMA fighter doesn’t just watch techniques, but actively trains and practices them, Christians are called to engage with God’s word in a deep, transformative way. The way to combat spiritual passivity is with MMA—and no, we’re not talking about Mixed Martial Arts. This is spiritual MMA, and it stands for Memorization, Meditation, and Application. Instead of passively reading the Bible or listening to sermons, you have to take intentional action by memorizing, meditating and applying God's word to renew your mind and transform your lifestyle. Let’s take a look at each of these tactics and how they can help us combat spiritual passivity.

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1. Memorization: Embedding God's Word Deep Within Us

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:11)

In MMA, fighters don’t just watch fight footage—they memorize techniques, moves, and responses so that, when the pressure is on, they can act instinctively. In the same way, memorizing God’s Word helps us to internalize His truth, so it’s available to us at all times, especially when we face spiritual battles. Memorizing Scripture is more than just about knowing the words—it’s about embedding them in our hearts so that they shape our thoughts, desires, and actions. When we face challenges or temptation, God's truth should be a reflex we don’t need to think twice about. Without memorization, God’s word remains a distant voice, and we are less equipped to respond to life’s pressures.

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2. Meditation: Reflecting on God's Word to Gain Understanding

"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8)

The second tactic in our spiritual MMA strategy is meditation. In MMA, fighters don’t just learn techniques—they spend time reflecting on them, considering how to apply them in different situations, and adapting their strategies. Similarly, meditation on God’s Word is about reflecting deeply on Scripture, considering how it applies to our lives, and letting it transform our thoughts and actions. Meditation involves slowing down to focus on God’s Word—not just reading it quickly, but letting it marinate in our minds and hearts. It’s in this space of reflection that God’s truth becomes clearer, deeper, and more personal. As we meditate, we begin to see how Scripture intersects with our everyday struggles, our relationships, and our decisions. It’s through this process that God's word becomes alive within us, challenging us to change, grow, and act.

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3. Application: Living Out What God Says

"But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves." (James 1:22)

The final tactic in our spiritual MMA strategy is application. In MMA, fighters don’t just train—they execute. They put their moves into practice and adapt as the fight progresses. Likewise, the key to combating spiritual passivity is applying the truth we’ve memorized and meditated on. If we know God’s word but don’t live it out, we remain spiritually stagnant. Application means taking action. It’s one thing to know what God’s word says, it’s another thing entirely to live in obedience to it. Application means choosing to follow God even when it is hard, and living with integrity when no one is watching. When we apply God’s word, it transforms our lives, and we begin to bear the fruit that shows we are actively following Christ. Without application, we will fall into spiritual passivity, where we know what God calls us to do, but we choose not to do it.

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So from now on, you can implement spiritual MMA by asking yourself, “What is one thing I can memorize, meditate on and apply from this Bible study or sermon?” Then, follow through on it to keep yourself spiritually active and engaged.

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Breaking Away From Spiritual Passivity

Do you feel like you have slipped into spiritual passivity? Do you desire to break away from it and step into the fullness of life God calls you into? Then, you need to be real with God and confess your spiritual passivity. This is a process that requires honesty and humility, but it’s the only way to get moving again. After confessing, God desires that you repent. Let’s be honest—the pull of comfort, safety, and control is strong. It’s easy to just want to settle into a routine and let things stay comfortable. But we can’t afford to be spiritually dull. Repentance is not just about feeling sorry for what we’ve done; it’s about turning away from the easy, passive life and actively pursuing the life that Jesus has called us to. Repentance isn’t just a change of mind—it’s a forceful, purposeful shift in direction. If you’re not fighting against passivity, you’re drifting toward it. This stuff doesn’t just happen by accident. Are you ready to get active? Start by getting the proper spiritual nourishment by connecting daily with God, going to church weekly and getting into a discipleship group. Then, implement spiritual MMA at least once per week by asking yourself, “What is one thing I can memorize, meditate on and apply from this Bible study or sermon?” Remember, Jesus, the Son of God, was not passive in His mission. He left Heaven and came to Earth to live a perfect life and give up His life on the cross for us. He didn’t sit back and wait for us to come to Him. Instead, He actively pursued us, sacrificially suffering for the sake of our redemption. So, let's emulate that by breaking away from passivity. We are not called to be bored for the Lord. We are called to step into an adventure with Him as we it’s join Jesus in His mission to glorify God, share the Gospel, make disciples and change the world.