Words of Worship: Faith

faith (noun) - belief and trust in and loyalty to God; belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion; firm belief in something for which there is no proof; complete trust

Synonyms: devotion, piety, religion

Antonyms: atheism, godlessness

Faith is one of those words that I think Christianity can use without fully grasping its deeper meaning. It's so easy to say to someone "You just have to have faith" when the other person is going through a hard time and you're not. When was the last time you really, seriously thought about what faith is? Look at the definition above: one of the definitions of the word is complete trust. Complete. Total, absolute, 100% trust. That is SCARY for a lot of people, including me, in a world where we've been taught that being 100% trusting can screw us over if we aren't careful. Faith in God, though, is different because He doesn't want to hurt us or take advantage of us or cause us distress. He just wants us to stop trying to fix everything ourselves and have faith that He can and will fix things in His timing. A lot of other virtues come into play with faith: trust, hope, patience, self-control. We were not promised in the Bible that faith in God would be easy; we were just promised that it would be worth it.

This week, I've got seven songs about faith along with Scripture that I was led to with each song. All Scripture passages are from the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible.

Prepare the Way by Bethel Music, Bethany Wohrle & Dante Bowe (written by B. Wohrle, C. Cleveland, D. Bowe, E. Hulse, J. Amundrud)

Included on Bethel's 2020 live album Revival's in the Air and featuring vocals from worship leaders Bethany Wohrle and Dante Bowe, this is such a powerful song with a beautiful message of faith. We can be assured that He is coming to fix this broken world and have faith that He will do exactly as He says.

We’ve heard the revival stories of ancient and old time glory/Spirit of God, come do it again/Miracle working power moving in signs and wonders/Spirit of God, come do it again/Prepare the way, He’s coming through/Ready or not, our God’s on the move/We’re gonna see Heaven on Earth/Come Holy Spirit, awaken Your church

Malachi 3:1 “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

This Is A Move by Brandon Lake (written by A. Brown, B. Lake, N. Moore, T. Leonard, T. Brown)

Released as a single in 2019, this is another absolute banger from the one and only Brandon Lake. While we may be looking for an actual, physical mountain to be moved in front of us to convince us to have faith, sometimes that mountain could be crippling debt, or a debilitating illness, or the strength to leave a toxic or abusive environment or relationship - and He is here to hold our hand and be with us every step of the way.

Mountains are still being moved/Strongholds are still being loosed/God, we believe it, yes, we can see it/Wonders are still what You do/And bodies are still being raised/And giants are still being slain/God, we believe it, yes, we can see that/Wonders are still what You do/We are here for You, come and do what You do/We are here for You, come and do what You do/Set our hearts on You, come and do what You do/‘Cause we need a move, we need a move

John 14:12-14 I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

The Everlasting by Fellowship Creative (written by Fellowship Creative)

Featured on their 2011 album The Everlasting, this worship song from Fellowship Creative takes inspiration straight from Psalm 27. If I have faith in God, I can trust that whatever humanity throws my way is something endurable because He is here to help me up when I stumble.

The Lord is my light and salvation/Whom shall I fear, of whom shall I be afraid/The Lord is my light and salvation/Whom shall I fear, of whom shall I be afraid/I will wait for You, I will wait for You/I will wait for You, I will wait for You/I will remain confident in this/I will see the goodness of the Lord/I will remain confident in this/I will see the goodness of the Lord

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and salvation - so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?

New Thing by Hillsong Young & Free (written by B. Hastings, M. Wagner-Mäkinen, M. Fatkin)

Featured on Young & Free's 2020 live album All Of My Best Friends, this song serves as a great reminder that as long as we're alive, Jesus is still working in and through us. The Lord is always working to make old things new and bring dead things back to life, and since we aren't just things but His children, we can have faith that that more than includes us.

These are the days that we prayed for/A stirring of faith has begun/And I’ve seen so much, still I’m certain/That the best has not yet come/‘Cause Jesus, You’re not done with me/You’re doing a new thing/You’re doing a new thing

Isaiah 43:19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Inevitable by Lauren Daigle (written by L. Daigle, P. Duncan, P. Mabury)

Featured on her 2018 album Look Up Child, this simple little song from Lauren Daigle was such a blessing to me personally over this last very stressful week. There will be days where we as human beings have to fight ourselves to keep our faith and belief from sinking into despair and fear, but He will always be there when we call on Him to help us out of that quicksand feeling.

I can feel when my mind starts to creep into doubt/On the days when the strength in my heart’s giving out/There’s a light, but it hides from me deep in the cloud/There’s a voice that I need, but I don’t hear a sound/Ever running to what I can’t see/Fighting out of all my unbelief/Father, even then my song will be/I know You will always carry me/It’s inevitable

Matthew 18:7 What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.

Trust In You by Lauren Daigle (written by L. Daigle, M. Farren, P. Mabury)

Featured on her 2015 album How Can It Be, I love, love, love this Lauren Daigle song so much. Sometimes prayers aren't going to be answered on our exact timetable, and we're going to experience pain and grief, but we have to remember that 1) God is not a vending machine for answered prayers and 2) if we trust Him and have faith in Him, we will make it through the hard times and come out stronger on the other side.

Letting go of every single dream/I lay each one down at Your feet/Every moment of my wandering/Never changes what You see/I try to win this war, I confess/My hands are weary, I need Your rest/Mighty warrior, King of the fight/No matter what I face, You’re by my side/When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move/When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through/When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You/I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You

Psalm 13:5 But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.

You Never Let Go by Matt Redman (written by B. Redman, M. Redman)

Featured on his 2006 album Beautiful News, this classic Matt Redman song has been one of my favorites since high school. Taking words directly from Psalm 23, we are reminded that even when we're in those dark valleys life presents us with, we are not walking alone because God is walking with us and protecting us from things unseen.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death/Your perfect love is casting out fear/And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life/I won’t turn back, I know You are near/And I will fear no evil, for my God is with me/And if my God is with me, whom then shall I fear, whom then shall I fear/Oh no, You never let go/Through the calm and through the storm/Oh no, You never let go/In every high and every low/Oh no, You never let go/Lord, You never let go of me

Psalm 62:8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

I sincerely hope you are blessed by this post's music like I was and that they remind you to keep your faith close to your heart no matter what season you find yourself in. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!