You need to know the causes of spiritual backwardness so that you can be sensitive and watch out for the things that can draw you back to your old life. Spiritual backwardness can happen to anyone at any time; it doesn’t matter if you are a bishop (a spiritual giant) who has been following Jesus for many years or a new convert (a baby). If you’re less sensitive to the devil’s tricks, you’ll be dislodged. This post will cover the root causes of spiritual backwardness, with the way out as well as the benefits of being current with God.
Spiritual backwardness is when a believer who has once given his life to Jesus goes back to his old life.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold; all things have become new.”
In case you haven’t read this post I wrote in 2020, edited in 2025: 2 Cause of Backwardness In Life, I would advise that you should take your time to read it before you proceed, or after reading this. It’s life-applicable and insightful.
7 Causes of Spiritual Backwardness
Listen to this: To know if you’re having spiritual backwardness or not, you must first ask yourself this question: Are there proofs of the fruit of the Spirit in my life? According to Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of the Spirit is:
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
- Forbearance
- Kindness
- Goodness
- Faithfulness
- Gentleness
- Self-control
Allow the fruit of the Spirit to serve as the barometer you use to measure your standing or status in God. If you’re lacking any of these, you have to give your life to Jesus without taking it back. Without further delay, below are the causes of spiritual backwardness:
1) Satanic manipulation. First, you need to understand that spiritual backwardness is spiritual. There is a contention of hell against the salvation of souls. The devil doesn’t want anyone to be saved, and if you are saved, he is working hard to draw you back into the world. “The enemy that sowed them is the devil…” – Matthew 13:39
The way out is to pray against all contentions of hell against your salvation. I will also recommend praying for others among Christians. A brother may be weak, but when he has a circle of fellow believers interceding on his behalf, he’ll be rescued. Prayer requests shouldn’t be for bread and butter alone. Whatever you pray for others, answer back for you (see Colossians 4:12).
2) Wrong expectation or orientation. Having the wrong expectation or orientation concerning kingdom blessings also determines whether you’ll last in kingdom pursuit or not. Many so-called born-again believers just think that Christianity is a passive religion. After you’ve given your life to Jesus, you don’t have to do anything, and the blessings will immediately come. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” ~ Matthew 22:37
Get this straight: Serving God is a work, an investment, and big-time business (see Revelation 22:12). Your input equals your output. Nothing of value in life is for free. There’s always a price to pay, and nobody emerges a star without a scar. “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the WORK, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” ~ James 1:25
Faith is a doing or moving force. There’s always something to do from the scripture to get your desires from God. The days of waiting are over. Now is the time to provoke the release of your miracles by putting the word to work. If you’re believing God for financial blessings, get involved in the covenant of giving and receiving (Genesis 8:22); if you’re believing God for a miracle child, enter into a lifestyle of praise and joy (Psalm 113:9); If you’re believing God for healing, health and wholeness, buy into a lifestyle of service (Exodus 23:25). It’s the word that we enter that works – not the one that enters us.
3) Wrong motive. Some people got born-again only for a ‘transactional’ purpose. They are only looking for what they’ll benefit from God, not what they can add to the kingdom. Christianity isn’t about what you take but what you give; It isn’t about your position but your distribution. If you’re one of the types that unfollow Christ because your heart desires are yet to be met, my advice refocus your priority on God’s kingdom. Seek the kingdom first and its righteousness and all these things (that others are running after) shall be added to you (will be running after you) – Matthew 6:33. Carry a heart for God by letting the things that matter most to God (souls) matter to you and you’ll matter to God.
4) Impatience. Lack of patience has made many once-believers go back to their old vomits. God is not slow. He builds slowly but strongly. While the devil builds fast, but is fragile. Many believers have given up before the arrival of their breakthroughs. There are times and seasons for all things under heaven. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. There’s nothing that has a beginning that has no end. There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. Never give up, no matter what you’re going through. At the end, it shall speak.
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.“ -2 Peter 3:9
Abraham received the promise of Isaac at 75 and saw the fulfillment at 100 years which means he waited for 25 years. You’ve only waited for six months, God is no more God to you. You’re about to throw in the towel, but don’t give up. Start giving God the glory because your breakthrough is near. In all those 25 years that Abraham waited, he was giving God the glory, not murmuring and complaining (Romans 4:20).
5) Disobedience. Every act of disobedience leads to disobedience, which in turn draws people away from God. The only way out is prompt obedience. Prompt obedience is the secret of Abraham’s covenant blessings. Even when the instruction looks stupid, he obeys. Biblical or God Commands may look stupid or too simple to believe, but that is the way out. They needed wine, Jesus told them to fill the pots with water, and the best wine was miraculously produced.
In flight schools, there are no professors but instructors. To be a high flyer in life, you must be ready to follow scriptural instructions. God operates basically on commandments. Yours is to comply, not to negotiate. The greatest animal in the world is the sheep. Sheep always obey the shepherds, and they never have to fend for themselves. All that they need is always provided by the shepherds. Their only job is to obey. God is our shepherd, and we are His sheep. It’s our responsibility to obey, while His is to provide. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing ~ Psalm 34:10
6) Wrong Association. As a born-again Christian, you must be careful who you walk with. No association leaves you neutral. It either sharpens you spiritually or draws you back to the world. He who walks with the wise will be wise, but a companion of fools will not just be fools, but destroyed (Proverbs 13:20). Friendship isn’t by force; it’s a choice. Choose wisely. Brutally cut off every relationship that isn’t adding any value to your life, and you won’t regret it. You’ve no spare life; your life is the product of your choices of which association is a part. “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses: therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live.” ~ Deuteronomy 30:19
There are true Christian brothers and sisters that you can make your close friends instead of being unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14). My wife has been a blessing to me; even when I’m weak, she sharpens me, and when she seems to be weak, I sharpen her. That’s why the bible says, Iron sharpens iron. Don’t marry an unbeliever with the thought of changing her or him, it may never work. If there is no spiritual agreement between you and your proposed partner, stop that relationship now, or you’ll walk yourself into plenty of trouble. “Can two walk, except they agree?” ~ Amos 3:3
7) False doctrines. We are in the last days, beware of false teachers and preachers so that they don’t dissuade you with false doctrines. Not all that appear as sheep are actually sheep; most are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Just as there are messengers of God, there are also messengers of the devil who tell you not to do what the bible has commanded. For example, there’s this preacher online who always tells people not to pay tithe because it’s a scam, and the hearers are happy that they are free from tithe. Some will tell you that there is grace, so you can keep sinning. Your discernment and spiritual sensitivity will play a major role in differentiating between the messengers of the devil and the messengers of God.
We are in the days when you need to be close to your bible as your clothes are close to you. While reading books is good for spiritual growth but not all books are healthy to consume. There was a man who read a book whose content was about the nonexistence of God. He was about to enroll in seminary school to become a pastor before he read the book. Unfortunately, he turned into an Atheist. Let the word of God become your source of truth – the barometer to check if God is actually the one speaking or the devil. God will never tell you to do what is contrary to His word.
Final Thoughts
A quick recap,
- Spiritual backwardness is when a person once gave his or her life to Christ but later took it back, and this is caused by:
- Satanic manipulation.
- Setting wrong expectations.
- Having wrong motives or orientations.
- Lack of patience.
- Disobedience to God’s commands.
- Wrong associations.
- False doctrines.
In case you are going through a spiritual backwardness, once you were solid or just in faith, but now you’ve returned to your old life, it’s never too late to rededicate your life to Jesus. When you drive into the wrong road, it’s wisdom to make a U-turn; staying in the middle of the road is a risk. If you want to give your life to Jesus or you want to rededicate your life to Him, pray this simple prayer with me:
Father, once I was blind and now I can see, forgive me my sins and have mercy on life. I confess you and accept you as my Lord and saviour. From now on, I receive grace to serve you without looking back on all the days of my life. Amen!
Now that you’re saved, look for a Bible-based church to attend on a regular basis and stay connected to this blog for spiritual content for your spiritual growth.
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