Hardness of Heart Part 1

Hardness of Heart.

by Andrew Wommack.

Introduction.

It is my prayer the Lord will give you ears to hear the message of this book, so that you can experience the fullness of G.o.d's blessing and, in return, be the blessing to others the Lord intends you to be.Many believers have come to share the conviction that G.o.d is still doing miracles today, just as He did in Bible times. They rejoice at testimonies of others who experience these miracles yet, in most cases, they do not experience all the blessings of the Lord themselves.Add to this the fact that testimonies pour in from foreign lands of people hearing the gospel for the first time, and their blind eyes open or their crippled limbs are made whole, and our frustration rises. Why do these people with no knowledge of faith, no time in prayer or Bible study receive and we don't? How can this be?The Lord gave me the answer to this question, and many others, through this teaching on hardness of heart. I believe these truths will become the basis for many things G.o.d wants to do in your life.

Andrew Wommack

Part 1: The Crisis

Hardness of heart has stricken all Christians in some area of their lives. This is what keeps us from hearing the voice of the Lord and being led by Him in our everyday lives.

1.

The feeding of the 5,000.

In Mark 6:35-44, Jesus fed 5,000 men-probably 15,000 people in all-with five loaves and two fish; and He had more left over than He started with! That was a pretty notable miracle, but something even more amazing was about to happen.

In verses 45-48, it says, " And " And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling and rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have pa.s.sed by them. " straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling and rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have pa.s.sed by them. "

Sore Amazed

As I was reading this, I wondered what it would be like to be one of these disciples, with a storm about to kill me. Here comes Jesus, walking on the water-that's amazing in itself-but it says He would have pa.s.sed by them. You'd think Jesus would run out there yelling, "Here I am to help you!" I was amazed, to say the least.

Exactly the same thing happened to the disciples. Verse 49 says, "But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: " "But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: " In other words, they couldn't believe it was Jesus. They thought they were seeing a vision. Verses 50-51 say, In other words, they couldn't believe it was Jesus. They thought they were seeing a vision. Verses 50-51 say, "For they all saw him and were troubled. "For they all saw him and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship: and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. " And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship: and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. "

Sore amazed! That's putting it mildly. I was awestruck when I thought of preparing to die, seeing Jesus walking on the water that was about to kill me, then watching him act as if He was going to pa.s.s right by.

Apply this to your situation. For example, maybe you are struggling with a desperate financial problem. Maybe your marriage is falling apart. Maybe the doctor told you you're going to die of cancer. Here comes Jesus saying, "Oh, a million dollars...saving a marriage...healing a sickness...that's nothing," and then He walks right on by you. You would be "sore amazed," right?

Then I read verse 52, which says, "For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. " "For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. "

"For, " of course, is a conjunction, and it links verse 52 to verse 51. It is inferring that they shouldn't have been sore amazed-it should not have been surprising to see Jesus walk on the water.

Hardness of Heart

Why were they amazed? It says it was because of their hardness of heart. hardness of heart.

Something began to dawn on me. I had always thought hardness of heart applied to someone who was rebellious toward G.o.d, who hated G.o.d. For example, I got saved when I was eight years old, and since then my desire has always been to seek G.o.d with my whole heart. I never thought of myself as hard-hearted, yet the Lord was saying, in effect, "If you'd be surprised to see Jesus walking on the water or any other supernatural manifestation of G.o.d, you're hard-hearted."

I had to start reconsidering what hardness of heart was.

Not Just Rebellion

Hardness of heart is not just rebellion towards G.o.d. Hardness of heart, in its simplest sense, is relating more easily to the natural realm than to the supernatural. relating more easily to the natural realm than to the supernatural.

If that's true, it means that every one of us is hard-hearted toward G.o.d to some extent-we're more moved by what we see than we're supposed to be. We should reach a place where we're more moved by what G.o.d G.o.d says than we are by anything else. says than we are by anything else.

For example, in reading this, some of you will be totally set free, and others will say, "That's the deadest thing I've ever read; I didn't get a thing out of it." It's not me, the writer, who is the variable. For instance, when I teach, all the people in the audience hear the same message. Some receive it and their lives are changed. Others seem to get nothing out of it. The difference isn't me-or the message. The difference is the condition of their hearts.

Morality is No Help

You can be hardened toward G.o.d and yet be a good, moral person. I've never said a cussword in my entire life. I've never taken a drink of liquor. I've never smoked a cigarette. I've never done a lot of things that you may have done; but 1 had a very hard heart towards G.o.d, and I still do in some areas, hardness of heart is not only caused by rebellion or sin.

One of the characteristics of a hardened heart is that it will make you amazed at the power of G.o.d. You'll relate more easily to the natural than to the supernatural.

When Jesus fed those 5,000 people, I believe He was blessed, but I don't believe He cried, "Wow! Look at that! It worked! Praise G.o.d!" Jesus was not shocked; I believe He totally expected it. He would have been amazed if it hadn't worked. When many of us pray and don't see the desired result, we say, "Well, that's kind of what I expected." Most of us would be amazed to see something miraculous happen.

I Crossed My Own Prayers

I once prayed for a young boy in Omaha, Nebraska, whose eyes were crossed. They were so bad he couldn't even see where I was standing. I commanded his eyes to straighten out, and they were immediately straight as an arrow. You know what I did? I said, "I can't believe it." Do you know what they did? They went right back to where they were before. As far as I know, they're still crossed.

That's hardness of heart-and it stopped my faith. hardness of heart-and it stopped my faith.

Let's continue in Mark, chapter 8, looking at some other characteristics of a hard heart. Mark 8:1-3 says, continue in Mark, chapter 8, looking at some other characteristics of a hard heart. Mark 8:1-3 says, "In those days the mult.i.tude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compa.s.sion on the mult.i.tude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. " "In those days the mult.i.tude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compa.s.sion on the mult.i.tude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. "

In the previous feeding of the 5,000 recorded in John 6:5, we see where Jesus turned to Philip when He saw the mult.i.tude, and said, "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? " "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? "

Do you suppose Jesus was wringing his hands, saying, "Oh, disciples, what are we going to do? How are we possibly going to feed all these people?" No, He knew what He was going to do. In fact, verse six says, "And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. " "And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. " Jesus wasn't asking the question of Philip to gain information, but rather to give the disciples an opportunity to act on it in faith. Jesus wasn't asking the question of Philip to gain information, but rather to give the disciples an opportunity to act on it in faith.

The Disciples Fail

But they failed. Philip pulled out his wallet and said, they failed. Philip pulled out his wallet and said, "Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them. "Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them. . . " (verse 7). . . " (verse 7).

Now, a few days later, the exact same situation occurred. This time there were seven loaves and 4,000 men-more food to work with and fewer people to feed. Jesus had already shown them what He could do, but He was trying to get his disciples involved in this miracle.

This time, Philip could have said, "Jesus, I know what to do. We'll take these loaves and fishes and feed this entire mult.i.tude, just like before." Do you know what the disciples did? Mark 8:4 says, "And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? " "And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? " They failed again. They failed again.

Why didn't they remember? It was only a few days later, but they had totally forgotten what G.o.d had done; they had forgotten the miracle. We think, Boy, how could they be so dumb? Didn't they remember what had happened? Boy, how could they be so dumb? Didn't they remember what had happened?

How many of you have ever had a miracle of G.o.d happen in your life and thought, I'll never, never doubt G.o.d again, then the next day, something bad happens, and it throws you totally into reverse? You totally forgot about what G.o.d did the previous day. That's hardness of heart. then the next day, something bad happens, and it throws you totally into reverse? You totally forgot about what G.o.d did the previous day. That's hardness of heart.

Beware the Leaven

Let's continue in Mark, chapter 8. After feeding the 4,000 people, Jesus said in verses 15-17, continue in Mark, chapter 8. After feeding the 4,000 people, Jesus said in verses 15-17, "And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware [of] the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, fit is] because we have no bread. And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have not bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? " "And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware [of] the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, fit is] because we have no bread. And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have not bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? "

Again, Jesus is talking about hardness of heart-exactly what He rebuked the disciples for in chapter 6. This time, He gives a little more explanation of what it is. It's not perceiving or understanding. not perceiving or understanding. It doesn't mean that you don't know the truth; it simply means that you don't perceive that truth in a way that will change you. It doesn't mean that you don't know the truth; it simply means that you don't perceive that truth in a way that will change you.

He continues in verses 18-21: "Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When 1 brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him. Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And He said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand? " "Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When 1 brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him. Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And He said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand? "

Just the Facts Won't Do

The disciples had knowledge. They remembered the facts, but those facts didn't influence their behavior. They didn't change their circ.u.mstances. That knowledge was nonproductive, because they didn't have the spiritual perception and the wisdom to use it. Again, that's hardness of heart.

The Bible has much to say about this. We'll cover it in more depth in the next chapter.

2.

Other Examples Examples.

When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they saw great, miraculous things. They crossed the Red Sea, they saw nine plagues on Egypt, they had a pillar of fire cover them by night, and a cloud by day. Yet just two or three days later, they were asking, "Can G.o.d provide a table in the wilderness? Can G.o.d feed all of this mult.i.tude?"

You may ask, "How could they do that? How could they be so dense?" Hebrews, chapter three, says the reason the children of Israel were like that was the hardness of their hearts. hardness of their hearts.

Pharaoh-The Supreme Example

Pharaoh is the supreme example of hard-heartedness. Look at him in Exodus, chapter 8 and beyond. The Bible mentions Pharaoh's heart being hardened at least 18 times. When G.o.d hardens your heart, you're in trouble. (Under the new covenant, G.o.d does not harden our hearts.) Pharaoh saw all these miracles. He saw the plagues on Egypt, and right after each plague, he'd harden his heart and persist in his ways. For example, when the plague of the frogs came, frogs were everywhere-frogs were in their shoes, in their food, in their clothes. They literally covered the land. Finally, Pharaoh called Moses and said, "Moses, I've sinned this time. It's G.o.d." He had sinned before that, but now he finally realized it. He came to his senses, humbled himself and admitted that it was G.o.d who was doing all this.

He implored Moses, "Remove this plague from me." And Moses said, "Glory over me. Tell me when I should remove this plague."

Now watch what hardness of heart can do. Understand, Pharaoh was plagued plagued-humbled, destroyed and brought to his knees. He could have asked for the frogs to leave instantly. But when he was asked, he said, "Tomorrow." Now that's being hard-hearted. That's being void of judgment. That's being dense, but that's exactly what hardness of heart does.

Of course, he hardened himself more and more, until he finally was was destroyed destroyed in the Red Sea. in the Red Sea.

What About You?

How does this apply to you? Hardness of heart does not mean that you don't know what is true in your head, but it means that knowledge is not productive.

For example, if I were to ask, "Quote me a healing scripture," you could probably rattle off Isaiah 53:5, Matthew 8:17, 1 Peter 2:24, 3 John 2, and so forth; yet a lot of you are sick. Is G.o.d's Word not producing? Some of you may say, "Well, I just don't know enough; I need to learn more." If that's true, then no one who has just been born again could ever see a miracle. Many of us saw more more miracles happen then than we do now, and we knew less. miracles happen then than we do now, and we knew less.

Smith Wigglesworth

Many of the great men of faith-Smith Wigglesworth, John Lake, William Branham-knew less of the Word of G.o.d than you and I know, but they saw more happen.