Overcome -- Jon Egan

 

The year between late 2006 and late 2007 might be one that members of this church would rather forget. Two tragic events struck, and the people at New Life Church in Colorado Springs (see the flag of Colorado Springs here) were stunned and distraught, until they were moved to remember that He had “Overcome”, and that they could do the same. Nothing is irredeemable in God’s kingdom, so these people clung to that belief that was rooted in reality. The song helped this church community heal, and that was something that only a Spirit-filled body could do, because the events that led to one leader’s downfall and to the deaths of two members of the church could not be taken back. Those things made even the author-composer of the song, Jon Egan, once feel deep inside as if the church could not recover from these twin calamities. And then they sang the song, three days after their lowest point, when a shooter had done the unthinkable within their spiritual community. Let Him and the example of His life – and death and resurrection – speak over you when you feel that hope is missing. That’s what Jon and this Colorado church did.

 

When trust is broken, and when two innocent people are struck down, that’s when many people might ask if something is terribly wrong with the ways of a church. Jon Egan apparently had written ‘Overcome’ in the aftermath of the church’s senior pastor’s dismissal, a consequence of drug-related and sexual sin in which he had engaged. ‘Shock waves’ was how the emotions of the church were described (see the video link below) at that time in November 2006. And yet, that did not overwhelm this group. Instead, they leaned on Him through prayer, trust, and worship in order to persevere. The band that Jon Egan and his friends had been using to minister to the church (since 2001) was aptly named Desperation, and they could not possibly have known just how desperate this church was about to become through this year-long period. Barely a year later (December 2007), a gunman entered the church building and shot five people, including two sisters who were killed. Does life get any more brutally unfair than that? Jon really thought the church was suffering irreparably, that his and others’ faith had sunk too low. That was when they sang to remind themselves of the once-desperate nature of another death that had rocked other believers…and, that Jesus overcame. The words of the song were never more meaningful for New Life than when they met just days after the shooting occurred. That Wednesday night was described as the time when ‘Overcome’ became their ‘anthem’, and Jon later retells how the church was rising and living ‘in the truth’ that God was not going to leave them, that He would pull them through, whatever happened. Instead of desolation, they leaned on words like ‘victory’, ‘awesome’, ‘power’, ‘great’, and of course the song’s title word that described Christ’s resurrection. The resurrection did not wipe out the events that lead to Jesus’ sacrifice, but it gave His death new perspective…that the lowest point of someone’s experience can be outdone by the height of His redemption in God’s kingdom.

 

Jon and the New Life Church remembered it all, the depth of their despair, but also the recovery that brought a resurgence of life in Him. God’s ways cannot be defeated, even by the indiscretions of we who are weak in our sin natures, or by bullets fired by gunmen tragically lashing out in uncontrolled rage. Jesus also encountered sinful and rage-filled people – that is what lead to his own death. He did not shrink from it, and though none of us would likely move willingly toward such danger, His ability to overcome what befell Him provides you and me something we would not otherwise have. I don’t have to live in dread of hazards that might ensue and overtake me. He’s already made sure – unshakably so – that I too will overcome, no matter what happens to me here on earth. Make sure that you too can assert that. Jesus is the way.

 

See the song story retold in this video: Bing Videos

 

See one retelling of the story here: overcome Jon Egan | Devotions by Chris Hendrix

 

Read about the church through which the song emerged here: New Life Church (Colorado Springs, Colorado) - Wikipedia

 

Read about Jon Egan’s band at the church here: Desperation Band - Wikipedia

 

See information on the flag here: File:Flag of Colorado Springs, Colorado.svg - Wikimedia Commons…This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1930. The following statement is also attached to the photo’s information: I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.

Holy Spirit (You Are Welcome Here) -- Bryan and Katie Torwalt

 

Maybe they had at least tasted Him (as did the ancient songwriter David, see Psalm 34:8), even in an irregular way or on a special occasion, and had experienced all that He could do. (See reproduction of 17^th Century artwork Dove of the Holy Spirit by Gian Lorenzo Bernini here.) Bryan and Katie Torwalt called out to the “Holy Spirit (You Are Welcome Here)” because, as one could deduce by looking at what they eventually said to Him, they didn’t want Him to be just a vague suggestive force in their lives. No, they wanted to sense Him and all He could mean for them clearly, powerfully. It was transformation for which they were looking, and it did indeed begin with saying what they meant to Him in a new, unvarnished way. An older song seemed to be stuck in Bryan’s head, and that evidently played a part in spurring his and Katie’s conviction that they needed to listen to what the Spirit was urging them to do. He’s right here, so just acknowledge Him, and even more, tell Him you want Him to take over. That’s what the Torwalts had the audacity to invite Him to do. Do what David also voiced centuries ago, and see how He’ll respond.

 

The Torwalts had been thinking about writing a new Holy Spirit song for two years before they actually got serious and responded with a song in 2011. In an interview (see link to it below), Bryan related that an old classic (unnamed) Holy Spirit song became stuck in his head during this period, so that its words were on his lips frequently. Perhaps as a therapy to deal with this phenomenon, Bryan says he and his wife just became determined one day to bring a new Holy Spirit song into reality, one for their own era instead of the one that Bryan was constantly humming. A portion of the song happened rather spontaneously after they had secluded themselves in a room, and perhaps that was the spark their songwriting juices needed, for the remainder of the song emerged over the course of the next few weeks in various ways, including while they were together in their car. Bryan says it was basically a prayer that they voiced, a talk with the God-Spirit whom they wanted to invite into their consciences in a much more discernible way. ‘Awareness’ – that was what Katie said she and Bryan emphasized to others as they shared this desire openly. Sure, the Spirit is obviously with us, but are we always totally alert and responsive to His influence? Katie and Bryan said it was a ‘deep desire’ to have Him not just be present, but to fill and ‘overwhelm’ the believer with His being. So, these and other phrases and words like ‘nothing worth more/can compare’, ‘sweetest of love’, ‘flood this place’, ‘fill the atmosphere’, ‘overcome’, ‘shame is undone’, ‘heart becomes free’, ‘hunger’, and ‘experience the glory’ inhabit the lyrics they wrote.   

 

Bryan and Katie didn’t want to hold back, so the phrases they use are what we English speakers would define as those with a superlative nature. They were seeking the pinnacle experience, the summit of being with Him. Having Him is not just some routine, unremarkable, and predictable relationship. The last few words of the Torwalts’ lyrics include ‘deeper’, so what they suggest for the worshipper isn’t a casual affair. It could unsettle you, so best to prepare yourself. You could educate yourself with reading in your bible how He thrust forward His people, even into hazards that can make one hesitate or turn back if He weren’t present. You have to have been in the doldrums, probably, to really decide that you’d rather have the ‘glory’, the ‘overwhelm(ing)’, the ‘overcom(ing)’, and ‘sweetest’ Holy Spirit to radically change your lifestyle. So, honestly ask yourself – ‘Is my life dull, and am I ready to seek Him out’? The heavenly kingdom and what awaits the saved in the afterlife will not be dull – of that you can be sure. Read some of Revelation and see what you think.  

 

Watch/hear the song story here: Bing Videos  (the story is shared by the songwriters from 0:43 to 2:37)

 See information about the picture here: File:Holy Spirit as Dove (detail).jpg - Wikimedia Commons…This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. {{PD-1996}} – public domain in its source country on January 1, 1996 and in the United States.

Holy Spirit -- Keith Getty and Stuart Townend

 

Have you ever been a signpost? Hopefully, a Christian could say ‘indeed, I am one everyday’. As a blogger about the songs we sing, I offer one here today for your consideration without much commentary by me, because it is unnecessary. Keith Getty and Stuart Townend have provided every explanation that we could hope for in their 2005 prayer-song that addresses perhaps the Godhead’s least recognized person – the “Holy Spirit”. (See here the angel Gabriel telling Mary that she would give birth to Jesus through the Holy Spirit descending on her as a dove in beams of light, in the 17^th Century masterpiece artwork Annunciation by Peter Paul Rubens.) I’m just pointing you, the reader, to this online published story; and, Keith’s account tells us that he and Stuart were, in their own way, trying to be signposts, too. So, see below for what Keith says about “Holy Spirt”, in italics (or see one of the two links to his words below.)

“Holy Spirit” is the final hymn I wrote with Stuart Townend as part of the 'Apostle’s Creed' album we created in 2005. This collection of songs focuses on the basic tenants of the Christian faith outlined in the ancient creed.

As in much of our songwriting, we wanted to connect the radical truths of what we believe with everyday life. In this particular song, we desired the hymn to function as a sung prayer about the Holy Spirit’s renewing power. In church services, it works well used just prior to the sermon or at its conclusion, as well as before the service or during a prayer time.

We divided the hymn into three verses. The first expresses a prayer for inward change, asking the Holy Spirit to transform us from the core of our being. Without such change, all religious attempts are futile. We must daily ask for renewal and the desire to love and treasure God’s word and his ways.

Verse two petitions the Spirit to abide in us so we’re able to bountifully bear His fruit, such as the kindness and gentleness described so beautifully in Galatians 5:22-23. Closing this verse is a prayer “to show Christ is all I do.”

Verse three is a more expansive prayer for the church. During the songwriting process, we kept revisiting this verse as we examined the role of the Holy Spirit throughout the New Testament. In passage after passage, evidence of the Holy Spirit’s power in someone’s life was marked by two characteristics--Christ is magnified, and the individual is led on a path of sacrifice.

We thus combined the lyric and arrangement of the last verse to build through the first five lines as we convey the power of the Spirit and our desire to see the church hunger for His ways. Then in line six, we suddenly stop with the prayer, “Lead us on the road to sacrifice/ That in unity the face of Christ/ Will be clear for all the world to see.” Artistically, this works as a bit of a surprise as we underscore the paradox and wonder of Christ’s power in us. Only through experiencing sacrifice are we unified as the body of Christ. Only through reaching the end of ourselves can we achieve a vibrant Christian witness that everyone on the outside can see as different. 

Keith Getty

 See this link for story:  The Story Behind the Song Holy Spirit | PraiseCharts

 

See the story here also: Holy Spirit, Breath of God - Getty/Townend Hymn - Worship Matters

 

See information on the masterpiece artwork here: Peter_Paul_Rubens_-_Annunciation_-_WGA20250.jpg (876×1353)…. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. {{PD-1996}} – public domain in its source country on January 1, 1996 and in the United States.