In James 2:14-26 the Bible warns that faith or works with a genuine relationship with God is dead. True faith isn’t just intellectual belief, it’s natural, active fruit of a loving relationship with Him. Works without this relationship are just empty religious obligations.
If faith feels like a chore, it might be dead works, rather than a relationship of grace. I learned this the long way. I was doing volunteer work when it began to feel heavy. I kept doing it because I felt like it was the right thing to do. The issue was that God never spoke to me and said to do it in the first place. When I began to listen to the Holy Spirit I stopped volunteering.
“Dead faith is not non-existent faith. Dead faith is inactive faith. God’s goal is activation, not accusations” -Clint Byars.
Even the forces of evil have faith, but it does not spur them on to participate in the Lord’s work. So they are left empty, lifeless, and joyless.
I think that this might be one of the reason Jesus says in Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will tell me in that day, Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and I’m your name do many mighty works? Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.”
From Pity to Praise 