I remember the first time I heard the hit song "To Hell with the Devil" by Stryper. I was seeking Christ, and the band won me over with the emotional and empowering lyrics challenging Christians to stand up for their faith and live for Christ instead of living for the world. 

Following the engaging 2014 solo release I'm Not Your Suicide from Stryper's frontman Michael Sweet, featuring the anti-bullying title track, Sweet deepens his catalog of rock offerings with One Sided War, a powerful set of classic rock originals. The album brings back the heavy sound found throughout Sweet's catalog, most exhibited with opening track "Bizarre," standing alongside accessible radio tracks including single "Radio" and more. The mission of Stryper's theme verse is Isaiah 53:5 (KJV): "...and with His stripes we are healed." Sweet loves bringing that concept to his audiences, sharing songs to give glory to God. I had the chance to speak with Michael Sweet about "One Sided War."

Please tell me the personal story behind this song.

The song can apply to so many things in our lives, including the things we see on the news on a daily basis. You're seeing protestors and people getting beat up, and to a degree that is a one-sided war. The song is about how one side is attacking and the other side is saying "why are you attacking me?" We see it on the internet, and especially because everybody has a voice and a page on social media, sometimes they feel they have the right to attack people, which they don't. 

It's a sad society we live in when it comes down to that, because that's not how it should be. We should respect and love one another. We see it in our families and our neighborhoods. The song applies and hits home in so many ways, and it's very relevant for what we are dealing with today. It's one of my favorite songs on the album.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

Luke 11:1-4 (NKJV): Now it came to pass as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

John 15:20 (NIV): Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his Master.' If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed My teaching, they will obey yours also.

Matthew 25:40 (NIV): The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me."

Proverbs 25:21 (NIV): "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink."

John 16:33 (NIV): "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." 

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV): "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
 
Revelation 22:20 (NKJV): He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

What is the takeaway message?

My heart for being a music maker is based on God gifting me in that area. The key for me in this song is to listen to people, take a step back, take a deep breath and think about what you are going to say before you say it. Don't speak from emotion. Speak from patience, and let God give you through patience the words to say. When you do that, you'll speak in a loving way and not a hateful way. 

I'm guilty of not doing that sometimes, as I'll go on my Facebook page without having prayed first, and I'll read a nasty comment and respond without being loving sometimes. That's the problem with our society, there's too much of that. It comes down to respect, love, grace and compassion. We need more of that, as society is lacking in those areas these days. You're not going to change someone's mind in one conversation necessarily, and from a distance you can forgive and pray for them and not engage all the time. In this social media society, we see everyone engaging one another on the warpath and defending themselves with a self-entitlement mentality. It's difficult to forgive one another as Christ has forgiven us, which is why we need to call upon God to give us the strength to do that. That's the key in everything we do.

Lyrics:
I've Sunk To Your Level
We've Both Slung Mud
Down In The Trenches
We've Shed Some Blood

We've Fired Bullets, We Can't Take Back
And Ran This Whole Thing, Way Off The Tracks

Yet I Found Forgiveness, And Washed My Hands
But You Keep On Pushing, If That's What You Need

I Don't Wanna Fight No More, I've Made My Peace
It's Your One Sided War, I'm Layin' All My Weapons Down
But You Drag It Out, It's Your One Sided War

Is It The Drama, Is It The Fuel
That Feeds The Monster, Inside Of You
Is It Your Own Fears, You Hide Behind
Are You Afraid To Live, Afraid To Die

You're In Your Own Way
When You Could Be Free
But You Keep On Pushin'
Cuz That's What You Need

I Don't Wanna Fight No More, I've Made My Peace
It's Your One Sided War, I'm Layin' All My Weapons Down
But You Drag It Out, It's Your One Sided War

I Won't Fight, Fight No More
This Is Your One Sided War

I Don't Wanna Fight No More, I've Made My Peace
It's Your One Sided War, I'm Layin' All My Weapons Down
But You Drag It Out, It's Your One Sided War

I Don't Wanna Fight No More, I've Made My Peace
It's Your One Sided War, I'm Layin' All My Weapons Down
But You Drag It Out, It's Your One Sided War

This song has a catchy and engaging feel, and the theme is a great reminder and challenge to fight our "one sided war" for Christ in our worldly culture and society. As we look at the fallen world around us, we all need to lift our eyes up to God and put all of our faith and hope in Him. For the saved in Christ, one day "God will wipe away every tear, there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying." As believers, we all need to live for Heaven and not get depressed or angry about our fallen world. Pain and suffering point us to God and how much we need Him.

We can all take strength in knowing that our Savior Jesus has promised us that the world will hate us because it hated Him first. The enemy attacks our minds and tells us we're not good enough and we'll never be good enough for Heaven. Thinking that we can earn salvation is a trap. As Stryper's band name says, "by His stripes we are healed," and the only way to Heaven is a narrow road. Jesus said, "I Am the Way, The Truth, and The Life, and no one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6-NKJV). 

This song really reminds listeners of the power of words and the need to "tame our tongues" from James 3. The tongue is capable of use for both virtue and vice. The same mouth uses the tongue for these contradictory purposes. James echoes Jesus' emphasis on the crucial importance of the use of words in daily life. This is a great brand new collection of declaration-style anthems designed to inspire listeners to fight the good fight of faith. 

This song has become my personal anthem, and I sing along at the top of my lungs the sincere and emotive lyrics of hope that something better is coming in the refrain: "I don't wanna fight no more, I've made my peace, it's your one sided war, I'm layin' all my weapons down." This song both musically and lyrically, has an empowering message and feel. In our society filled with war, bullying and a lack of care for others, this anthem is the cry of my heart with the much-needed call to action message for Christians. The words of this song can be a believer's New Year's resolution. That's been Stryper's ministry for over 30 years, to empower listeners against spiritual warfare and to strongly proclaim, "to hell with the devil." Take comfort from God's Word in Jeremiah 29:11 (The Voice): "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Eternal, "plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope--never forget that." Amen to that! Happy New Year!

Listen to the song below.