Hardness of heart is at crisis proportions in the American Church, and culture. You can imagine the culture, but “The Church?” you probably ask in shock and disbelief. Yes, the Church.
I have learned something profound (from Andrew Wommack), and this discussion of hardness of heart may help you. This is a very deep and challenging subject, but I will attempt to summarize briefly as best as I can some of the major points of how a hard heart develops, and what the solution is. It’s a constant battle, but one that most believers are clueless about and are therefore defeated and don’t realize why. Let’s commit to changing that.
Hardness of heart in the Bible refers to believers, not atheists and God haters.
Mark 6:52 says “for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.” This is speaking of Jesus’ disciples, not unbelieving pagans. Is it speaking of you, to you? This verse describes how the disciples were so afraid of the storm crossing the Sea of Galilee because their hearts were hardened, and that was so because they had not considered the miracle of Jesus having fed the 5,000 men (plus women and children). The point is that you can love God, give yourself fully to Christ and His cause, and still suffer from hardness of heart, the result of which is further doubt and unbelief. It’s a matter of focus and awareness.
Hardness of heart happens through the distractions of life, as well as through overt sin. Most of you would not argue that hardness of heart will happen with continual, un-repentant sin. Most of you would be surprised as I was to learn that hardness of heart can happen with simple distractions of everyday life that gain too large a foothold in our lives. From being a workaholic, to a Facebook – TV – internet – video game addict, these things can and will harden the heart to the things of God (which range from saving souls to raising the dead). Even “ministry” itself can become such a distraction that it hardens the heart and displaces us further from the heart of God (not that He leaves us – he promised He wouldn’t – but we gradually grow distant). The ministry becomes more important in service to God instead of relationship with God – the true source of any worthwhile ministry – which is a hallmark of the orphan spirit.
This is one aspect of why the persecuted church seems to always explode, and the complacent, lazy, fat, “intellectual” church typically doesn’t. The former needs God, relies on God, thirsts after God, and deeply believes God instead of watching “As the Stomach Churns” on TV, all the “un-reality” shows, and other forms of entertainment saturated with adultery, lust, strife, envy, and murder. (Humans are like computers: garbage in, garbage out!) Even in our churches we seem to have to be entertained anymore. A great band and mood lighting for worship is more important than time in the Word and in prayer to develop ourselves such that we are so close to God that we become confident we have the power and authority to raise the dead!
Jesus’ heart was never hardened because He was God. We, on the other hand, too often see ourselves “on the outside looking in,” but this is a wrong perspective that will keep us in religious bondage, instead of the life of God flowing through us.
Our hearts are “waxed” hard the same way a candle is made – by continually being “dipped” in sin and/or life’s distractions. What are you being “dipped in” every day? Troubles at work? Strife in the family? Economic and/or health problems? Entertainment? Resistance to repentance? Disappointment with God? Others? Are you taking time to be “re-baptized” in the presence of God often and regularly? Are you considering (meditating) on the truths of God, such as the truth that God takes pleasure in prospering His own, and that we “were healed by the stripes of Jesus,” or just resigning yourself to “it doesn’t seem to work for me”?
Have you noticed that it’s harder than ever to fight all these distractions in life in the modern day? From smart phones, email, Skype, movies with fascinating special effects, games and gizmos and “readers” of every kind, to dramatic geo-political developments within and external to our nation – and all on an almost weekly basis. The intensity of everything is manifesting all around us, yet the manifestation of God, His love, His power, and His authority are trying to come forth, but this is largely up to us. Are you preparing to participate with Him, to release the Holy Spirit through you? He’s not likely to make us do it, but is longing for us to choose to.
Our hearts can be hardened by what we see, hear and learn even in churches.
In Matthew 16:6, Jesus said “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” I believe the warning here is the “leaven” of doubt and unbelief, wrong teaching (miracles have passed) and non-Kingdom priorities – all cloaked in religious pride and pomp, hypocrisy, hype, and manipulation. The bread of communion is unleavened, and the meaning is not to be lost. Much of what passes in the modern American church for a “move” or a “mission” of God is the leavening of hype and manipulation. People aren’t healed, the deaf rarely hear, the blind rarely see, and offerings are manipulated out of people instead of challenging them to simply, really believe. Ephesians 4:14 says “…..we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming…”
Many churches are grossly out of order and largely dysfunctional compared to what Christ intended. They still remain “social clubs” with lots of entertainment and hype, but little Word, Spirit or Truth beyond the basics and denominational traditions.
This is not to condemn anyone. I am guilty of this myself. But as Andrew Wommack says, “I have not arrived, but I’ve left.” I have not overcome all of this, but I’m armed with awareness, and will overcome it by the truth and grace of God. Andrew Wommack has a revelatory, in-depth teaching on this subject, and I strongly recommend you get it free by downloading it from his website at www.awmi.net/extra/audio/1003.
Of course, I must also ask you to pray for the epidemic of hardness of heart afflicting so many of our civil leaders – because most do not focus on the Lord, but on their political survival. Even believing office holders hold the position that they don’t wear their faith on their sleeves, and their beliefs don’t belong in public policy. Wrong! The anger and strife (directly because of the absence of their focus on God) is affecting the nation, because the anointing – good or bad – flows from the head down.
Let’s make it a personal quest to change “hardness of heart” personally and culturally! Give it to God. Yield. God bless you as you do!
Mark Williamson is the Founder and President of Foundation Restoration Ministries and Federal Intercessors, educational and intercessory ministries dedicated to the restoration of Biblical truth, righteousness and justice in the nation and culture, reaching even the highest offices of the Federal government. The views expressed in this column are his personal opinions and observations. Learn more, join the prayer cause, or support the ministry at www.federalintercessors.net. You may contact him directly at mark.williamson@federalintercessors.net, or at 713-722-4301.
