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Guarding Your Heart Against Spiritual Drift
Author: Dave Jenkins
Podcast: Anchored in the Word with Dave Jenkins (Servants of Grace)
Episode Type: Biblical Teaching
Show Summary
Spiritual drift is real and it rarely happens overnight. More often, it begins quietly through neglect, distraction, and misplaced priorities. In this episode of Anchored in the Word with Dave Jenkins, we answer the question: How can Christians guard their hearts against spiritual drift?
Drawing from Hebrews 2:1, Proverbs 4:23, and John 15:4–5, this episode helps believers recognize the subtle dangers of drifting and calls us to stay near to Christ through the ordinary means of grace—God’s Word, prayer, fellowship, worship, and life in the local church.
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Key Scriptures
- Hebrews 2:1
- Proverbs 4:23
- John 15:4–5
- Romans 12:2
- Psalm 73:28
Episode Notes
1) Spiritual drift happens when we neglect the ordinary means of grace.
Drift doesn’t start with rebellion—it starts with neglect. A neglected Bible leads to a neglected heart. God has given His people the means of grace—Scripture, prayer, fellowship, worship, the Lord’s Day, the preaching of the Word, and the ordinances—not as optional add-ons, but as His appointed pathways to spiritual stability.
2) Spiritual drift happens when we stop paying close attention to God’s Word.
Hebrews 2:1 warns us clearly: “We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” Like a boat without an anchor, the heart that stops listening carefully to Scripture will quietly move away from the shore. We must receive the Word regularly, reverently, and obediently—not merely hearing it, but submitting to it.
3) Spiritual drift happens when we let the world shape us more than the Word.
Romans 12:2 calls believers not to be conformed to this world. Drift often begins when media shapes us more than Scripture, when approval of man matters more than pleasing Christ, and when sin is treated casually. You will be shaped by what you regularly absorb.
4) Spiritual drift is prevented by abiding in Christ.
In John 15, Jesus does not say, “Try harder.” He says, “Abide in Me.” Spiritual stability grows as we remain connected to the Vine—trusting Christ daily, treasuring Him above all, relying on His strength, and staying near to His Word.
5) Guarding your heart requires daily watchfulness.
Proverbs 4:23 commands: “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Watchfulness includes examining your heart regularly, confessing sin quickly, keeping short accounts with God, staying faithful in the local church, and maintaining a humble, teachable spirit.
6) God’s grace restores drifting hearts.
If you realize you have drifted—grown cold, neglected prayer, worship, or the Word—here is the good news: God restores drifting hearts. You are not beyond His mercy. The same Jesus who warns us not to drift is the same Savior who restores, renews, and holds His people fast.
Closing Scripture: “But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge.” (Psalm 73:28)
Key Takeaways
- Spiritual drift begins quietly through neglect, not usually through open rebellion.
- The ordinary means of grace are God’s appointed pathways to spiritual stability.
- A heart anchored in God’s Word is guarded from drifting.
- Abiding in Christ is the daily, sustaining answer to spiritual drift.
- God restores wandering hearts with grace, mercy, and kindness.
Call to Action
If this episode helped you, please subscribe and share it with others. For more from Anchored in the Word please visit our page at Servants of Grace or at our YouTube.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
