Christy and Jeremy Johnson who formed the band Worth Dying For started a movement called Fearless BND. Their second album, Love Riot, was released in February 2011. Fear Not was preceded by the singles, “Mas Amor” and “Can’t Get Enough” and is the follow up to their 2017 album We Are Fearless, which featured “Jump Around” and “The Anticipation.”
Talking about the move to Los Angeles, Pastor Jeremy shared, "Fear had been something we'd both battled with our entire lives, and yet we felt called to the dreamers, to those crushed by their dreams, to those chasing their dreams, those with dead dreams... to people who had moved to LA from all over the world to pursue the arts, entertainment, education, entrepreneurship–to not just be a safe haven, but a dream factory, helping broken people dare to dream again." I had the chance to speak with Pastor Jeremy Johnson about “At Your Name.”
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
My wife Christy, as well as songwriter Ben Murti wrote the song together. We were at a songwriting weekend together. We share songs we are working on with each other to help each other finish them. We take time to get away and think and challenge ourselves to write as many songs as we can that we can bring back to our church and empower them. This is one that my wife enjoys, and it became one of our anthems and one of my favorite songs. Especially when you are going through something difficult this song brings comfort. We’ve seen healing and anointing in this song.
Through the heart of God, He wrote this song through my wife to bring healing. I remember when I was in the hospital for surgery. I was anxious. Our conference was being streamed online. I was watching it and getting ready for my surgery and dealing with the fear that goes with it.
When we recorded this song, I remember the Lord giving me a vision of a person in a hospital room listening to this song and getting healed. That memory gave me the energy to press through my own surgery. Little did I know that person would be me. I had a flashback to the moment I heard the song recording and when I realized that I was the guy who needed an anthem I started crying in the hospital. God had set me up months before and when I heard the song in the hospital I believed in healing from God.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Philippians 2:9-11(VOICE): “So God raised Him up to the highest place and gave Him the name above all. So when His name is called, every knee will bow in heaven, on earth, and below. And every tongue will confess "Jesus, the Anointed One, is Lord," to the glory of God our Father!"
Philippians 2:14-16 (NIV): "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing."
Nehemiah 8:10(NKJV): Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
Psalm 66:1-3 (NKJV): “Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; Make His praise glorious. Say to God, ‘How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.’”
What is the takeaway message?
I ended up waking up from that surgery and the doctors told me they couldn’t find the cyst in my body. We were confused and the doctor left me in the hospital room because he couldn’t figure out how to tell me what happened. I know what happened. God healed me.
Christy’s dad is a pastor and he had a cardiac arrest and he was pronounced dead. We went to see her dad the next day and her dad was being kept alive on a breathing machine and she started singing this song over him, “Healing's coming now/Sickness has to bow/At Your name.” He came out of the coma and he is alive and well today. The doctors couldn’t believe what happened to him. This song has a special place for our family.
For people dealing with sickness and fear, this song is about the power of the name of Jesus, based on Philippians 2:9-11. Whenever we say the name of Jesus, all of heaven takes a bow. Whenever we say the name of Jesus, all our fear, depression, and sickness must bow. Whenever we say the name of Jesus, all demonic activity must bow.
Saying His name Jesus has so much power. We want this song to be an anthem for people in the hospital, dealing with COVID-19. Worship shifts the atmosphere and enthrones Him in the middle of our pain. This song, for us, is an anthem of healing and a song we can sing over people in those times.
Lyrics
I heard You say Come just as You are No need to wait There's healing in My arms Redemption in the Cross
You deserve my endless praise Every breath I'll lift this anthem Lift your voice All the earth You're holy
Worthy are You Lord Holy is Your name King of all You reign Forever always
No height or depth Could keep me from Your love Invited in You call Your children home Freedom's now my song
You deserve my endless praise Every breath I'll lift this anthem Lift your voice All the earth You're holy
Worthy are You Lord Holy is Your name King of all You reign Forever always
Healing's coming now Sickness has to bow At Your name At Your name Fear is losing ground Freedom's song is breaking out At Your name At Your name
Healing's coming now Sickness has to bow At Your name At Your name Fear is losing ground Freedom's song is breaking out At Your name
Worthy are You Lord Holy is Your name King of all You reign Forever always
Closing Thoughts
I love how the Lord is bringing up worship leaders who are unashamed of the Gospel. Worship leaders who are about proclaiming the truth of God's Word. "At Your Name" has a great message. It's a song for us to celebrate our freedom based on our faith in Christ Jesus. It's also commanded by Jesus in Matthew 5:16 to "let your light shine" so that others may praise God based on seeing the power of His life in us.
This anthemic ballad, with tender and powerful vocals, takes listeners on an emotional and spiritual journey. Every lyric is sung about faith in our God Almighty, our Lord and Savior, Jesus. The lyrics are stirring and convicting, inspired by Philippians 2:9-11. You’ll get swept up in the biblical and Jesus-centered cries of worship, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth.”
"At Your Name" allows us to dwell on the unshakable nature of God. When all else fades away, He will remain. We all need to remember that we're not able to save ourselves. Only Jesus can give us our identity. God is the source of all things and He works in all of us to bring glory to Him. He wants us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices out of gratitude for the forgiveness of our sins. God wants us to be "transformed by the renewing of our mind" and "set your mind on things above."
Christians are new creations on the inside. The Holy Spirit gives us new life and we don't have to live anymore with our guilt, fears or worries. We are born again, and we need to live as children of God. He is worthy of all our praise and adoration.
God tells us in the Bible that with faith, we can do anything through Christ. I'm convicted by the strong lyrics and find immense comfort in this song, filled with biblical truth. There is power in the name of Jesus. It is a sweet sound for God to hear us shout His Name. We should not be ashamed to sing of our dependence on God and show Him reverence.
The song is an amazing reminder of how we are called to be a light for Jesus, every day, "without complaining or arguing." We know from Scripture, that worship is what you put your worth-ship in, and that a biblical definition of worship is a lifestyle where we can live out the words of “Fear Not,” and know with certainty, “We are fearless in His love.” Join in with the angels and saints and sing before Him, “Worthy are You Lord/Holy is Your name/King of all You reign/Forever always.” Amen to that.
NRT lead contributor Kevin Davis is a longtime fan of Christian music, an avid music collector, and credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
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