Let the Music Move You! My Personal "Battle Songs" Play List

When I wrote Spiritual Warfare for Women, I said a lot of things I knew were true, but hadn't yet experienced the full weight of their truth.  Like this, the first sentence in the Introduction: 

"I almost didn't write this book for fear I'd be under such attack from the Enemy that I wouldn't be able to survive it." 

The minute I signed the contract with Bethany House, the attacks came. But I warrior-ed up and soldiered on. And by the time I got to the end of the book, I did sincerely know that, although I was still in the midst of the fray, I was fighting a battle "I'd already won." 

Sure enough, the battles I faced while writing that book were won! But, I've learned that God was allowing that battle to prepare me for the next one, and the one after that. It's been my personal experience that my term of "active duty" in this spiritual war has yet to come to an end. And as I continue to fight my battles, I still cling to this sentence, the powerful truth I shared on page 39, in Chapter 2 titled "What Love Does,"

Every attack from the Enemy brings with it a divine invitation from the sovereign hand of God to know by experience what Love does.

There are so many words printed on the pages of our books that make sense! Especially when you write them, if you're the author; and when you read them, it you're the reader. But sometimes my heart has a hard time staying in alignment with my head. And although my head agrees with what is written, my heart doesn't know what to think.

Maybe that's because hearts don't think, they feel. When my heart forgets what my head knows I find comfort and reassurance in music. Music is such a special creation. It sings to our souls and allows our hearts to be comforted enough to catch up with our heads.

That's why I have a song list in my Amazon Music app called "Battle Songs." Here are some of my favorite phrases from several of the songs in this list:

Glorious Unfolding by Steven Curtis Chapman

I discovered this song while I was visiting friends in Cabo, out on a morning walk on some serious hills--I mean like the kind that you can reach out in front of you and touch the place your foot's about to step. My heart was breaking because...(I'm not going to fill in the specifics because you've got heartbreaking situations that you can fill in here.) Here are the phrases that spoke powerfully to me that day...the phrases that continue to speak powerfully to me today: 

"I know this is not anything like you thought the story of your life was going to be and it feels like the end has started closing in on you. But it's just not true. There's so much of this story that's still yet to unfold and this going to be a glorious unfolding!" 

"We've just got to believe the story is so far from over, so hold on to every promise God has made to us and watch this glorious unfolding." 

Listen to this powerful song here. 

A fun tidbit is that Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife were in the same prenatal class my husband Tom and I attended at what used to be Baptist Hospital in Nashville in 1992. I whispered across the aisle, "Hey, you look really familiar to me, did you go to Samford University?" He smiled and nodded, no, to which I then said, "Huh, well must be somewhere our paths have crossed before." --note to my silly self; maybe on the radio! -- me listening and him singing! 

Peace Be Still by Hope Darst

I love Hope Darst! I found out that she didn't even start her singing career until she reared her children. How cool is that?! Here's the phrase in this song that captures my heart; 

"Peace be still, say the word and I will set my feet upon the sea 'til I'm dancing in the deep. Peace by still ,You are here so it is well even when my eyes can't see, I will trust the voice that speaks." 

"I'm not gonna fear this storm! No, I'm not gonna fear at all!" 

There's something powerful about warrior-ing up. Sometimes we gotta get a little bit mad to keep marching forward. This song turns the heat up on the faith that's in me and before the song ends I'm declaring what I'm not yet seeing, and I'm feeling a whole lot better about the possibilities I'm presenting to the God who is able to do the impossible.

Listen to Hope Darst sing this powerful song here.

Stand My Ground by Zach Williams

Maybe I like this one because it follows "Peace be still" in my list. But the phrase I love best in this song is this one, 

"No, I'm not gonna cower, I'm not gonna flinch. I'm not gonna run from this. I will stand my ground, ain't no way I'm backin down! When that devil comes around, I'm gonna stand my ground."

Brings a bit of "Yee-Haw!" to Ephesians 6:10-13.

You can get all fired up with me by listening to this song here.

Overwhelmed by Big Daddy Weave

What an oasis on the spiritual battlefield. It's like camping out under the stars during a ceasefire. No matter what you're facing in the morning--no matter how bloody the battle gets; He's still the One who set the stars in the sky, and knows them all by name. Just sit a minute in this phrase, 

"I delight myself in You, in the glory of Your presence. I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by You."

"You are Wonderful, You are Wonderful, Oh God, there is no One more Wonderful...You are Glorious, You are Glorious, Oh God, there is no One more Glorious..."

Do you need a rest? Listen to this song and be overwhelmed.

Heaven Help Me by Zach Williams

I just now realized that Zach is on my list twice. The other artist on my list twice is Lauren Daigle. I'll get to her in just a moment. Here's how Zach cries out for heaven's help:

"Tell me, tell me I just need to hear You say, that everything will be okay. When I don't understand. When I don't think I can. I know You have a plan so heaven help me. Help me, Help me..."

This one is for those times in our lives when we we are far past our wit's end and we can't hardly breathe. It's for the moments when everything is turned upside down and inside out, and you're barely hanging on to your own faith in the faith-full-ness of God because the Enemy's heckling has drowned out the goodness of God. He's taken the promises God's given you and pulverized you with them, as he's made a mockery of what you staked claim to, that day you were having the quiet time that went on for hours (that felt like minutes).

At times like these, "Heaven, Help me!" is a good way to pray. Pray and see how heaven responds as you listen to this song here.

In Jesus Name by Katy Nichole

What about these Jesus' Name songs that we've been blessed with lately?! This one is so very powerful. I can't even add words to it to describe it. And as I am listening to it play while I'm writing this, my heart wants to spill out in tears.

"I speak the name of all authority, declaring blessings, every promise He is faithful to keep. I speak the name no grave could ever hold. He is greater, He is stronger, He's the God of impossible." 

"the power of His Spirit is now forever yours. Come believe it, come receive it, in the mighty name of Jesus all things are possible." 

If you are desperate for your circumstances to change...if you need your fears to settle down...if you're longing to see evidence that God's listening to your prayers...this song is for you.

Take a sip of your favorite beverage, turn the lights down low, press play and close your eyes.

Help is on the Way by Unspoken

This one? This one is like showing up with 5 of the best friends a person could have; circling up with the people who share your heart, and your love for Jesus; they walk with you on your Kingdom journey. They love you and want the very best for you. 

They sit you down in the center of their holy huddle, place their hands on your shoulders; and while you weep, they sing;

"I know how you feel, fighting for another breath; searching for the strength to lift your legs another step. Wounded by the past, how long will it last, buried by the heavy weight. It won't be long, keep holding on, you won't have to wear those chains...

HELP IS ON THE WAY!!" 

You know what? Get a few of your cherished prayer partners and invite them to circle around you as you listen to this song!

Take Courage by Kristene DiMarco

Courage is what we need, isn't it? 

"Courage isn't having the strength to go on – it is going on when you don't have strength." ― Napoleon Bonaparte

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'" ― Eleanor Roosevelt

Courage is what keeps you going. It's what glues your confidence to the Word God's given you despite the multitude of opportunities and pressures to lay it down.

"Take courage my heart. Stay steadfast my soul. He's in the waiting. Hold on to your hope as your triumph unfolds He's never failing. He's never failing." 

"And You who hold the stars; Who call them each by name, will surely keep, Your promise to me, that I will rise, in Your victory! So take courage my heart..." 

If we're not careful, we will pine so desperately for our pain to end that we might miss all of what God is delivering to us in the waiting. There's so much waiting in Scripture, and every second of it is purposeful. 

Cause He's in the waiting! 

Rescue by Lauren Daigle

This one--oh my friends! God gave me this one for one of the most precious people my heart beats for. Anytime I lose hope, I remind myself that God told me this song was written for her. It reassures me that God is more passionate about her rescue than I am. And the good thing is that He's got an army that's already been commissioned and sent on the rescue mission! 

"I will send out an army to find you in the middle of the darkest night it's true, I will rescue you. I will never stop marching to reach you in the middle of the hardest fight it's true, I will rescue you. Oh I will rescue you."

"I hear the whisper underneath your breath, I hear you whisper you have nothing left. I will send out an army..." 

Are you praying for a loved one who's not praying for themselves? Is the devil telling you to stop?

Don't.

God's trusted you with the burden of their soul in prayer. Now it's your turn to trust Him to Rescue them.

Remember by Lauren Daigle

Remember? I told you that Lauren Daigle was the one other artist who made it to my "Battle Songs" list twice. And wouldn't you know it, she shows up back to back. I love this because I listen with passion and zeal as I intercede with "Rescue" and then I rest. When "Remember" comes on, I simply soak in the stream of anointing when I "Remember." 

"In the darkest hour when I cannot breathe, Fear's on my chest, the weight of the world on me. Everything's crashing down, everything I have known, when I wonder if I'm all alone...

I remember! I remember! You have always been faithful to me! Even when my own eyes could not see, You were there, always there."

A year or so ago my little prophet died of a heart attack. Michael Carlisle was a small engines repair guy who wore a ball cap that said "Jesus Love You!" in large bright letters. He was a bold witness and quirky little guy who found the most interesting "words" from the most obscure parts of the Old Testament. When he delivered his "word," he's always tell you to "put it on the back burner." That was his way of saying, just think on these things and be reminded that God is always working. If this word is from Him, something will come of it.

Michale would get up in the middle of the night to pray for my children. Just a few days before he died, he sent me a text at 2:23AM with a link to this song that said, "Listen to this song and remember." 

You can't listen to this one without the Spirit of the Living God refreshing your soul with memories of how many times He's been there for you.

"I can't stop thinking about Your goodness, goodness!"

Listen to this song and Remember...

I have 7 more songs on this play list, but they've been added along the way. These that I've listed are the ones I started with several years ago. Anytime I'm about to lose my mind, I simply play this list and let the music do its work in my heart so that I can get it realigned with my head.

Make your own play list. Let the LORD use the music He's creating through the vessels He's gifted to minister healing and hope and endurance and confidence in you.