Episode Overview
Podcast: The Gospel Truth
Host: Andrew Wommack Ministries
Episode: Hardness of Heart: Episode 1
Date: October 13, 2025
In this episode, Andrew Wommack introduces a foundational teaching series on the concept of "Hardness of Heart" in the Christian walk. Drawing from personal experiences, scripture, and previous lessons on faith, Andrew explains why he believes understanding and addressing the condition of one's heart is essential for receiving from God and seeing prayers answered. This teaching is positioned as a foundation for deeper faith, greater results, and overcoming hindrances in one's spiritual life.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introduction to the Series: The Importance of Heart Condition
- Andrew shares his excitement for teaching on "Hardness of Heart," a concept God revealed to him over 45 years ago ([00:24]).
- He credits Pastor Bob Yandian for reframing the teaching positively as "The Power of a Sensitive Heart," though Andrew sticks with the original term as God gave it to him.
- The teaching is built upon scriptural accounts, especially Mark 6 (Jesus and Peter walking on water), and is an extension of previous teachings about becoming a "water walker."
2. Personal Testimony: Wrestling with Unanswered Prayer
- Andrew recounts a formative experience in Omaha where, after just seeing a person raised from the dead, he tried to heal a quadriplegic by physically lifting him from his wheelchair. The man fell, which shocked and confused Andrew—he was certain he had faith ([01:40]–[04:45]).
- Quote:
"I remember jumping off the stage and running down there and saying, in the name of Jesus, you're healed. And I just grabbed this man by the hand and lifted him up out of that wheelchair and he just fell, fell over on his face." ([02:33])
- For two years after, Andrew earnestly asked God, “What’s wrong?” believing it was always God’s will to heal, yet not seeing the manifestation.
3. Faith vs. Unbelief: Can They Coexist?
- Andrew shares a core insight: it’s possible to have faith and unbelief simultaneously, and the presence of unbelief can cancel out the effects of faith ([00:46]).
- Quote:
"You can have faith and unbelief at the same time, and unbelief will negate or cancel out your faith... What we've got to do is separate that and get to where we just have a pure faith." ([00:57])
4. The Structure of the Teaching: Crisis, Cause, and Cure
- The teaching is structured into three parts ([07:23]):
- The Crisis: Understanding what a hardened heart is, how severe it is, and its impact.
- The Cause: Identifying how a heart becomes hardened.
- The Cure: How to reverse and heal the hardened heart.
- Andrew stresses that dealing with hardness of heart is not something resolved once and for all, but a daily practice ([09:03]).
- Quote:
"This is something that I deal with every single day of my life—keeping my heart sensitive to God and hardening my heart towards the devil and towards unbelief." ([09:03])
5. Scriptural Foundation: Mark 6 (Jesus Walks on Water)
- Andrew explores Mark 6:45–52, using the story as a metaphor for overcoming crises by faith ([10:15]).
- He interprets the disciples’ resistance to entering the boat as natural fear from their fishermen’s knowledge about coming storms, but commends their obedience when Jesus “constrained” them.
- Emphasizes how Jesus walked on top of the thing threatening the disciples’ lives—the storm ([12:00]), and didn’t immediately intervene but waited for them to call out in faith.
Memorable Illustration
- Andrew shares a humorous encounter with a man asking for healing only for his neck while listing many ailments, pointing out the fallacy in limiting God's power ([13:30]).
- Quote:
“‘Well, maybe God can’t do all of this at one time. If we ask for him to heal you from head to toe, I mean, the lights in heaven might dim. I’m not sure that he has enough power to heal all of these things at one time.’” ([13:47])
6. A Key Scriptural Insight: Hardened Hearts Among Believers
- Andrew describes the moment he realized "hardness of heart" is not just about open rebellion or sin, but can happen to devoted believers ([19:10]).
- While reading Mark 6:52, he discovered that being "sore amazed" by Jesus' miracle was a sign of a hardened heart, since it meant the disciples had not considered the previous miracle (feeding of the 5,000).
- Quote:
"If you would be sore amazed… to see a miraculous demonstration of God's power, it's because you have a hardened heart." ([21:25])
7. Personal Impact and Next Steps
- This revelation profoundly affected Andrew, prompting years of study and reflection, eventually leading to the series and the book he offers today ([22:00]).
- He emphasizes that everyone has areas where their heart is hardened toward God and promises to unpack what that means in coming episodes.
- Andrew concludes by urging listeners to get the accompanying materials for deeper study and transformation.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the coexistence of faith and unbelief:
"It's not a matter of you being all faith or all unbelief. You can have the two mixed. And what we've got to do is separate that and get to where we just have a pure faith." – Andrew ([00:57])
-
On the daily battle:
"This is something that I deal with every single day of my life—keeping my heart sensitive to God and hardening my heart toward the devil and towards unbelief." – Andrew ([09:03])
-
On misplaced expectations of God's sovereignty:
"We have not because we ask not... For you to think that God just sovereignly moves without you is incorrect." – Andrew ([15:31])
-
On the surprise of miracles as a sign of hardness:
"If you would be sore amazed… to see a miraculous demonstration of God's power, it's because you have a hardened heart." – Andrew ([21:25])
-
On the journey ahead:
"If you get hold of this… it’s going to be one of the things that will catapult you into an area where you can start receiving from God and seeing greater manifestation of answers to your prayer." – Andrew ([09:03])
Timestamps for Important Segments
| Time | Segment Description | |---------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:24 | Introduction to "Hardness of Heart" and its personal significance for Andrew | | 01:40 | Omaha quadriplegic healing story and resulting crisis of faith | | 04:45 | Exploration of faith vs. unbelief, and unanswered prayer | | 07:23 | Overview of series structure: crisis, cause, cure of hardened heart | | 09:03 | The message is something to address daily; sensitive vs. hardened heart | | 10:15 | Scriptural exploration: Mark 6—disciples, storm, walking on water | | 13:30 | Illustrative story about praying for healing "from head to toe" and God’s unlimited power | | 15:31 | The necessity of faith and taking spiritual authority; it's not automatic | | 19:10 | Discovery that "hardness of heart" can exist in devoted believers, not just openly rebellious | | 21:25 | The implication of being surprised by God’s miracles as a form of heart-hardening | | 22:00 | Personal transformation and the importance of the coming teachings |
Episode Tone and Language
Andrew’s delivery is conversational, earnest, and instructional. He shares personal stories with candor, mixes humor (the healing expectations anecdote), and sets a relatable, encouraging tone throughout. He’s transparent about his confusions and failures, reinforcing the message that even committed Christians must actively guard against a hardened heart.
Summary for New Listeners
This episode sets the foundation for a multi-part teaching on why some Christians, despite believing, fail to see God’s promises manifest—often due to an unnoticed "hardness of heart." Andrew Wommack uses scripture, honest testimony, and practical illustrations to challenge listeners’ assumptions about faith, inviting them on a journey to greater sensitivity toward God, deeper understanding, and more consistent spiritual victory. He encourages listeners to reflect, study further with provided materials, and anticipate transformative answers in upcoming episodes.
Further Study Suggestion:
Andrew’s booklet and expanded teachings on "Hardness of Heart" are available through his ministry and are recommended to deepen the practical application of this series.