Reignite Your Faith: 7 Days to Intentional Spiritual Growth

Here are the Battle Drill Daily Devotionals for the coming week. The accompanying video and audio podcast episodes will be published each day.

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Struggling with spiritual stagnation? This 7-day devotional series offers practical steps to establish daily time with God, set faith goals, and reignite your spiritual growth.

Who Made You Stop Running?

Sunday 2 November 2025

How long have you been a Christian? A year? Five years? Twenty?

Now answer this: are you closer to God today than you were a year ago? Are you growing? Or have you stalled?

Paul asked the Galatians a piercing question: “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?” (Galatians 5:7)

That’s the question I want to ask you today. You started well. You had faith. You were excited about Jesus. But somewhere along the way, something happened. Who cut in on you?

An article in Christianity Today once stated: “Most professing Christians, from the liberals to the fundamentalists, remain practical atheists. They think the church is sustained by the services it provides or the amount of fellowship and good feeling in the congregation. This form of sentimentality has become the most detrimental corruption of the church and the ministry”.

That’s exactly what Paul is warning against. You can be doing all sorts of good Christian activities - serving, volunteering, and attending worship - but if you’re not staying connected to Jesus, you’re a practical atheist and you’re going to burn out. You’re going to stumble. You’re going to stop running.

Here’s the truth: spiritual growth is intentional, not automatic. Nobody drifts into maturity. Nobody accidentally finishes the race. You have to choose to keep growing, or you’ll stop.

The marathon runner trains every single day. They don’t show up on race day and hope for the best. They prepare. They build endurance. They stay connected to their coach.

You need to do the same with your faith. And that starts with one non-negotiable habit: a daily time with God.

I know what you’re thinking: “I’m too busy”. Let me say this as gently and as firmly as I can: if you’re too busy for God, you’re too busy. Full stop. Because you’re putting everything else ahead of the number one commandment - to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Everything in life fights against this daily connection. Your work schedule. Your family demands. Your phone notifications. Even your good Christian activities. Satan will let you do a thousand good things, as long as you don’t spend time with God. Why? Because he knows that when you’re disconnected, you have no power.

Jesus said, “Everyone who remains in union with me does not continue to sin” (1 John 3:6, paraphrased). When you’re connected to Christ, he gives you power - power to resist temptation, power to overcome habits, power to love difficult people, and power to finish the race.

Here’s your specific step: right now, before you do anything else today, decide on a five-minute daily time slot with God. Not “I’ll try to find time”. Not “When things calm down”. Now. Today.

Maybe it’s in your car before you start work. Maybe it’s your tea break at eleven o’clock. Maybe it’s on your commute home. Pick a time, set an alarm on your phone, and protect it like you’d protect a doctor’s appointment.

Start simple. Read one psalm. Pray one honest prayer. Ask God, “What do you want to say to me today?” Then listen.

The race isn’t over. You haven’t crossed the finish line yet. But you can’t run on empty. You need daily fuel. Daily connection. Daily time with Jesus.

Thought Starter: When was the last time you felt truly connected to Jesus, and what’s changed since then?

The Three Decisions That Determine Your Spiritual Future

Monday 3 November 2025

I know too many people who used to worship regularly at The Salvation Army.

Week in, week out, they attended every meeting. They served enthusiastically. They prayed passionately. They were on fire for God. Then one day they stopped coming. And they never came back.

Some got discouraged and gave up. Others used COVID lockdowns as an excuse to step away. A few had their feelings hurt and drifted off. Different reasons. Same result. They stopped growing spiritually. And eventually, they stopped believing.

The apostle Peter warns us: “Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Continue. Don’t stop. Keep going. Because if you’re not growing, you’re dying. There’s no middle ground.

Spiritual life is organic. It can’t stand still. You’re either moving forwards into greater maturity, or you’re sliding backwards into shallower faith. And here’s what makes me sad: I’ve watched people attend faithfully for years without growing an inch spiritually. They’re busy. They’re serving. They’re present. But they’re not actually maturing.

Why? Because spiritual growth is intentional. It requires a choice. Three choices, actually.

First, you must fix a daily time with God. Notice I said fix – you have to nail it down. Make it non-negotiable. Choose your time and protect it fiercely. Everything will fight against it. Tasks pile up. People make demands. Leisure calls your name. Satan will do anything to keep you disconnected from God because he knows that’s when you’re most vulnerable.

If you’re falling back into the same sins, if you’re feeling distant from God, if your faith feels dry - I can almost guarantee you’re not spending daily time with him. It’s that simple. And that hard.

Second, you must focus on your goals, not your failures. Set specific spiritual targets. By December, I will pray fifteen minutes daily. By March, I will serve monthly at the food bank. By summer, I will complete a Bible reading plan. Make them focused. Attainable. Individual. Trackable. Heartfelt. FAITHgoals.

Goals are statements of faith. They declare: I believe God wants me to accomplish this for his glory. Without goals, you’ll drift. With goals, you’ll grow.

Third, you must form a support group. Find people who will pray for you, encourage you, and keep you accountable. You need others asking the hard questions: Are you keeping your commitments? How’s your soul this week? What’s God teaching you?

So, here’s your concrete step: Tonight, before you go to bed, open your calendar. Block out fifteen minutes tomorrow morning. Label it “Time with God”. Set an alarm. Make it happen. That’s it. Just one day. Then do it again the next day. And the next.

Because spiritual growth isn’t about one dramatic moment. It’s about daily decisions. Small choices. Consistent habits. Intentional steps.

And here’s God’s promise: “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished” (Philippians 1:6).

God isn’t finished with you. But you must cooperate with what he’s doing. You must make the growth choice. Daily. Intentionally. Consistently.

Your future spiritual maturity depends on today’s small choices. Make them count.

The Appointment You Keep Missing

Tuesday 4 November 2025

There’s an appointment you keep missing.

Not with your doctor. Not with your dentist. Not with your boss. It’s far more important than any of those.

It’s your daily meeting with God.

I know what you’re thinking. “I don’t have time”. “My life is chaos”. “I pray when I can”. I’ve said all those things. And I’ve watched those excuses slowly drain the life from my faith.

Here’s what Jesus said: “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 15:5)

Apart from him, we can do nothing. Not “apart from him, we’re slightly less effective”. But nothing. Zero. Empty.

That’s the scandal of modern Christianity. We’re trying to produce spiritual fruit whilst barely staying connected to the vine.

My wife Gail and I have been known to have a conversation that includes the immortal line, “I feel like we’re just ships passing in the night”. Usually, whoever says it is right. We find ourselves so busy - with church commitments, with work and with family and friends - that we’ve stopped actually spending time together. We’ve stopped connecting.

The same thing happens with God.

You can’t feel close to someone you never spend time with. You can’t sense the presence of someone you’re always rushing past. You can’t hear the voice of someone you never stop to listen to.

On 10 February 2013, a fire broke out in an engine room of the Carnival cruise ship, Triumph. The fire knocked out the ship’s power, leaving the vessel drifting in Gulf of Mexico currents. The more than 4,200 passengers and crew were left in limbo. The lost power made it impossible to flush the toilets, keep cool in the un-shaded waters of the deep sea, and preserve and cook all the perishable food on board. Passengers reported long lines for food, shortages of fresh water, illnesses, and widespread boredom. Many passengers slept in hallways or outside to escape the odours and heat below decks. News outlet CNN dubbed the Triumph “the cruise ship from hell.”

Apparently, Carnival did learn their lesson. In June of that year Triumph set sail once again, but this time it was fitted out with new emergency power capabilities. Carnival knows that when the power goes out, the party is over.

Everything fights against spending time with God. Your schedule fights it. Your responsibilities fight it. Your tiredness fights it. Even good things fight it - career advancement, family activities, church service.

But if you’re too busy for God, you’re simply too busy.

The reason I keep falling into the same sins, the same weaknesses, the same patterns is because I don’t spend enough time with God. When I’m disconnected from the vine, I have no power. No strength. No defence against temptation.

Everything you need - peace, strength, guidance, love, and purpose - flows from remaining connected to Jesus. Not from your efforts. Not from your religious activities. From abiding in him.

So, here’s what I want you to do tonight, in your home, before you go to sleep: choose your daily meeting time with God. Not a wish. Not a hope. A fixed appointment. Write it in your diary. Set an alarm on your phone. Tell your family.

Tomorrow morning, keep that appointment. Just five minutes. Sit somewhere quiet with your Bible. No agenda, no performance. Just connection. Talk to God. Listen to God. Remain in him.

Do this for seven days, and watch what happens. You’ll start feeling his presence again. Sensing his love. And hearing his voice.

The vine is waiting for the branch to reconnect.

Your freedom depends on it.

Why Do We Keep Failing?

Wednesday 5 November 2025

How many times do you have to fail at the same sin before you finally admit you can’t fix it on your own?

In an almost unbelievable turn of events, a man already facing legal proceedings for fare evasion on London’s transportation network was caught trying to avoid paying for a train ticket yet again - this time while on his way to court for the original offence. The individual, who owes more than £30,000 in unpaid fines, attempted to board a train without a valid ticket, only to be stopped by vigilant railway staff during a routine ticket inspection.

Despite facing mounting legal consequences, this man continued a pattern of behaviour that authorities described as “prolific fare evasion”. His repeated attempts to dodge payment laid bare the ongoing struggles faced by transportation services to enforce fare collection and deter habitual offenders.

This man’s actions serve as a sobering reminder of the consequences of unrepentant behaviour. Instead of facing his charges and seeking to make amends, he chose to continue evading responsibility, compounding the legal challenges he already faced.

Like this person, there comes a time when we must stop and ask ourselves - How long can I keep repeating the same sin, expecting to escape the consequences?

The Bible tells us something crucial in 1 John 3:6: “Everyone who lives in union with Christ does not continue to sin”.

Living in union with Christ. That’s not a one-hour-on-Sunday connection. That’s daily. Constant. Plugged in.

When you’re connected to the vine, you bear fruit. Disconnected? You wither. You fall. You fail.

Are you too busy for the one thing that gives you power over sin? Are you too busy for the connection that transforms your desires? Are you too busy for what Jesus himself prioritised when he withdrew to lonely places to pray?

Here’s what Satan knows that we often forget: if he can keep you away from daily time with God, he’s already won. You’ll try to fight temptation in your own strength. You’ll make promises you can’t keep. You’ll beat yourself up for failures you couldn’t avoid.

Because you were never meant to do this alone.

At your workplace, when that colleague makes that comment that usually triggers your anger - without connection to Christ, you’re toast. When you’re at home and the children are driving you mad - without that morning time in God’s Word, you’ll lose it. When you’re scrolling late at night and temptation appears on your screen - if you haven’t spent time with Jesus that day, you’re defenceless.

So, here’s your practical step today: before you go to bed tonight, decide where and when you’ll meet God tomorrow. Kitchen table at 6:30? Car park at lunch? Bedroom before sleep? Decide now. Set your alarm. Put your Bible or phone with a Bible app where you’ll see it.

Tomorrow, keep that appointment. Jesus will be there. The power you need will be there. The transformation you’re desperate for begins there.

Thought Starter: When this week did you try fighting temptation in your own strength, and how did that work out?

Why Your Morning Prayer Isn’t Enough

Thursday 6 November 2925

How long does your prayer life last each day?

Fifteen minutes? Thirty? An hour if you’re really dedicated?

Now answer this: How long do you need God each day?

The Apostle Paul gives us the answer in Colossians 4:2: “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart”.

Not “pray occasionally”. Not “check in when you remember”. Devote yourselves. Present tense. Continuous action. Like breathing. Like eating. Like friendship.

I’ll be honest with you - I used to think I was doing brilliantly with a solid thirty-minute quiet time each morning. Bible reading? Tick. Prayer list? Tick. Ready for the day? Tick.

Then I’d step out of the house and immediately get irritated by traffic. Snap at someone. Worry about money. Fall into the same old patterns.

Why?

Because I’d disconnected. I’d had my scheduled appointment with God, logged off, and tried to run the rest of the day on my own spiritual battery. Which, as it turns out, has about the same staying power as a cheap mobile phone.

American author Mitch Finley writes: “Christians must remember that prayer is like the mortar that holds the bricks together, or the quiet pauses in a symphony. Without the mortar everything falls apart; without the quiet between the notes, no music. And without daily private prayer, Christians face spiritual anorexia”.

That’s why Paul calls for “an alert mind”. He says, Stay awake. Stay aware. Stay connected.

Think about your car. You don’t fill the tank once a week and expect it to run on fumes the rest of the time. You refill as needed. Yet we do exactly that with our spiritual lives - one fill-up in the morning, then wonder why we’re running on empty by lunchtime.

Jesus said in John 15:4, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine”.

A branch doesn’t connect to the vine for fifteen minutes each morning. It stays connected. Continuously. That’s how the life flows. That’s how the fruit grows.

Pastor Rick Warren puts it brilliantly: “You can talk to God and talk to someone else at the same time. I do it all the time. Someone’s talking to me, and I’m thinking, God, what do you want me to say? I haven’t the slightest idea”.

So, what would your workplace look like if you stayed connected like that? Your classroom? Your commute?

Here’s your practical step: Today, in your workplace or wherever you spend most of your time, identify three specific moments when you typically feel stressed, lonely, or tempted. Write them down. Now, commit that at those exact moments, you’ll pause for five seconds and say one sentence to God about what you’re experiencing. Just one sentence. Out loud if you can. Silently if you must.

Three moments. One sentence each.

Thought Starter: What stops you from talking to God throughout the day—and are those barriers real or imagined?

Are You Spiritually Malnourished?

Friday 7 November 2025

How many meals did you eat yesterday? Now, how many times did you open your Bible?

“But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it”. (James 1:25)

Catherine Booth once said, “What a deal there is of going to meetings and getting blessed, and then going away and living just the same, until sometimes we, who are constantly engaged in trying to bring people nearer the heart of God, go away so discouraged that our hearts are almost broken”.

Catherine learned that a spiritual diet consisting of one hour of church per week is like eating one meal on Sunday, then fasting until the following Sunday. It makes you weak, foggy, and irritable.

Your mind operates like a scale. On one side, you’ve got negative thoughts - your failures, the world’s bad news, people’s criticisms, your own harsh inner voice. On the other side, you need truth from God’s Word. When the negative outweighs the positive, you experience spiritual malnutrition. Depression. Anxiety. Anger.

Scripture isn’t optional. It’s not just for keen Christians or Bible scholars.

It’s essential nutrition for every believer’s soul.

Thought Starter: Are you spiritually weaker on Friday than you were on Sunday?

Here’s what you can do today: Choose one verse about your biggest struggle. Write it down. Set three phone reminders throughout your day. When they ping, read your verse.

Feed your soul before it starves.

What If Your Spiritual Life Had a Deadline?

Saturday 8 November 2025

What would change in your spiritual life if you treated it like a project with a deadline?

Rob Bell once wrote about a restaurant he visited that had a sign: “Good food takes time”. But underneath, someone had scrawled, “How much time?” That question - “How much time?” - might be the most important question you’re not asking about your spiritual growth.

I know too many Christians - good people, faithful people - who’ve been “trying to grow” for years but couldn’t tell you one specific way they’re different from a year ago. They attend church. They own a Bible. They pray occasionally. But they’re stuck. Not because they don’t want to grow, but because they’ve never set a goal.

The Apostle Paul didn’t have that problem. Philippians 3:13-14 says: “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

Paul wasn’t wandering aimlessly towards spiritual maturity. He was pressing. He was focused. He had direction.

Pastor and author Gordon MacDonald tells this story: When I first ran track in prep school, my coach invited me to his home for dinner one night. After the meal, he pulled out a notebook displaying my name on the front cover. He immediately turned to the back page, which bore the heading “June 1957” - three and a half years away.

“Gordon,” he said. “These are the races I’m going to schedule you to run almost four years from now. Here are the times you will achieve.”

I looked at those times. Impossible! They were light years away from where I was at that moment as a runner.

Then Coach began turning back the pages of that book, page by page, showing the 42 months he had scheduled for workouts. These were the graduated, accelerated plans for my increasing skill on the track as the months and years would go by. He had a sense of direction and development when it came to my athletic growth.

Coaches and leaders of all kinds understand the absolute necessity of strategic, long-range planning. Similarly, a wise and all-knowing God has a plan for our total lives - gradually, inevitably, down through the years, we become more like Jesus.

Here’s what most Christians don’t realise: a goal is simply a statement of faith. When you set a goal, you’re saying, “I believe God wants me to accomplish this, and I’m going to cooperate with him to make it happen”. The Bible says the righteous live by faith. A faith goal puts flesh on that belief.

What makes a goal different from a wish? Pastor Rick Warren suggests five things - they spell FAITH:

Focused - Specific, not vague. “Read James” not “read more”.

Attainable - Realistic. Five chapters in five weeks, not the entire Bible in a month.

Individual - About you. You can’t control others.

Trackable - Dated. Monday mornings at 7am for five weeks.

Heartfelt - You genuinely want it.

And once you experience the satisfaction of completing one spiritual goal, you want another.

So, here’s your challenge: Before you leave work today, or before dinner tonight, or before you turn off the light - choose one area of spiritual growth. Just one. Make it a FAITH goal. Write down exactly what you’ll do, when you’ll do it, and by what date you’ll accomplish it. Put it in your phone. Set a reminder.

You’re either growing or dying. There’s no neutral. This time next year, you’ll either be more spiritually mature or less. The difference? Whether you set a goal today or just wished for change.

Thought Starter: If spiritual growth required the same intentionality as your career or fitness goals, what would change tomorrow?

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Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. All song extracts used by permission. CCL Licence No. 135015.