Words from The New Living Translation (NLT)
Italics 'and' by author.

Just a few weeks ago, in my quiet time, the Holy Spirit asked me to write a song for Israel.

Just a day before that, Janis and me had made the new planning for the release of the new songs for the next few weeks. As always we make all these decisions with the Holy Spirit. And I usually end these meetings with, 'dear Holy Spirit, if we misheard you, feel free to correct us. We wanna follow Your will and Your timing.'

So, the next morning I received a change of plans. Instead of Acts 10, I was to release Deuteronomy 33. A scripture brimming with blessings and promises for the people of Israel.

And I felt a sense of urgency. So I started writing, creating, recording, mixing almost non-stop, 7 days in a row.

When the time came to submit the song, I started to doubt. I said to the Spirit "I feel a bit silly, what difference is my song gonna make when there is a war going on?"

And almost instantly I was reminded of the importance of praise and singing in the Bible through the ages.

King Jehoshaphat won a war against a vast army just by singing and praising God (2 Chron 20: 21-22), the walls of Jericho, all it took there was a cry instead of a nice, catchy chorus 👌

When Paul and Silas were imprisoned, they started singing and praising God, the prison shook and all the doors swung open!

The Bible reminds us that 'we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world' (Eph 6:12).

This song, the scripture of Deuteronomy 33 is filled with promises and blessings for Israel.

When I was writing this song, this scripture (and melody) was on repeat in my head:

So Israel will live in safety, prosperous Jacob in security, in a land of grain and new wine, while the heavens drop down dew. How blessed you are, O Israel! (Deuteronomy 33:28/29 NLT)

And it dawned on me: I'm proclaiming God's promises over Israel, every time I sing this I'm blessing them! It's like a continuous prayer. That's God's intention, to remind Israel of who they are in the eyes of God, to remind them of who God is. All the promises He's given them. And to remind the darkness: these are My people, the apple of My eye. No one can snatch anyone out of My hand (Isa 43:13).

So, let's start singing out loud, every day, till the war has ended. Let's sing for victory, for the people who can't sing, for blessing, for peace, for healing. And I am convinced we will watch the darkness tremble.

© Written by Xander Stok, Project of Love