Famous contemporary singer Phil Wickham is a talented artist with a gift for leading worship and creating impactful songs. It's great to hear that his music has been a meaningful part of your worship experience, especially with albums like Living Hope and Hymn of Heaven.
His distinctive approach to crafting and performing praise and worship songs, blending enthusiasm with reverence, has consistently resonated with many listeners. His prayers are deeply personal, reflecting a genuine adoration for God.
Leading corporate worship nationwide, Phil has led worship with his hits, “At Your Name (Yahweh, Yahweh)” and “This is Amazing Grace.” His growth is evident in each new album, and his 2023 offering, I Believe, continues to elevate the worship experience, igniting a more profound yearning for God's presence.
I Believe provides listeners with songs proclaiming acceptance of God’s love in any circumstance, making it a must-have for your praise and worship collection. It offers many great ways to, as Psalm 96:1 puts it, "sing to the Lord a new song."
The words in the album’s title track, "I Believe," are filled with appreciation and adoration of God, making it wholly anointed, spirit-led, and emotionally captivating. I spoke with Phil about his currently charting single.
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
When songwriters Jonathan Smith, Chris Davenport, and I set out to write “I Believe,” we had a clear goal: write a declaration of faith in Jesus, full of joy and life that we could sing with the Church. In a world with so much confusion, it’s like water to our souls when we sing the truth of our beliefs because those who follow Jesus believe in life, healing, hope, and a God who loves us more than we can imagine.
This song was written to shout about Jesus from the rooftops—something we, as believers, can unify together and say with joy in our hearts that we believe in the mighty name of Jesus.
Many people are currently going through a crisis of faith, including those close to me. They are questioning what is real and what they genuinely believe. As a result, they may turn to sources outside of their religion in search of hope.
In a crazy world that seems like it’s shifting every week, they’re looking for some solid rock to stand on that’s not shifting underneath their feet. And I believe I’ve found it—with all my heart—in the person of Jesus.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Psalm 33:3(VOICE): "Sing to Him a new song; play each the best way you can, and don't be afraid to be bold with your joyful feelings."
Matthew 5:17(NIV): "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."
Acts 1:8(NIV): "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 2:24(NIV): "But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him."
Acts 2:42(NIV): "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."
Acts 4:12(NIV): "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."
Romans 1:16-17(NKJV): "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
1 Peter 2:24(NIV): "He himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; By His wounds, you have been healed."
John 15:13(NKJV): "Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one's life for his friends."
John 1:12(NIV): "Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."
What is the takeaway message?
"I Believe" encourages listeners to maintain faith, hope, and love—even in challenging times. It emphasizes that belief in the positive aspects of life can lead to a better, more fulfilling existence. Whatever you may be going through, don’t fear what your eyes see because God has you. He is bigger than the storm, the battle, or the mountain you’re facing. Jesus proves it when He goes to that man’s house and resurrects his daughter from the dead. Trust God today. Believe in Him today. He can revive, restore, heal, and renew.
So many search for truth, meaning, belonging, purpose, hope, fulfillment, peace, and healing. I’ve found all these things and more in the person of Jesus Christ. The world is desperate to see and hear people full of hope, joy, love, and confidence telling their stories about how Jesus saved and changed their lives. About how He’s the best thing they have ever found. And how He will be the best thing anyone will ever see. I’ve never put more time, effort, and prayer into a project, and I’m very excited to share these truths. I invite you to sing along and preach the truth of who He is to your souls.
Lyrics
I believe there is one salvation One doorway that leads to life One redemption One confession I believe in the name of Jesus Christ
I believe in the crucifixion By His blood, I have been set free I believe in the resurrection Hallelujah! His life is death’s defeat.
All praise to God the Father All praise to Christ the Son All praise to the Holy Spirit Our God has overcome The King who was and is and evermore will be In Jesus’ mighty name, I believe I believe I believe
I believe in the hope of heaven He’s preparing a place for me Far beyond what hearts imagine Ears have heard, or eyes have seen
I believe that a day is coming He’s returning to claim His bride Light the altar Keep it burning See the Lamb who rose a roaring Lion
All praise to God the Father All praise to Christ the Son All praise to the Holy Spirit Our God has overcome The King who was and is and evermore will be In Jesus’ mighty name, I believe Oh, I believe in You
No, I’ll never be ashamed Of the gospel of Jesus Christ How could I ever walk away From the One who saved my life No, I’ll never be ashamed Of the gospel of Jesus Christ How could I ever walk away From the One who saved my life Oh no, I’ll never be ashamed Of the gospel of Jesus Christ How could I ever walk away From the One who saved my life
All praise to God the Father All praise to Christ the Son All praise to the Holy Spirit Our God has overcome The King who was and is and evermore will be In Jesus’ mighty name, I believe
All praise to God Our Father All praise to Christ the Son All praise to the Holy Spirit Our God has overcome The King who was and is and evermore will be In Jesus’ mighty name, I believe In Jesus’ mighty name, I believe I believe I believe I believe I believe
Closing Thoughts
This song’s energy is a great way to infuse enthusiasm into your worship set. When you sing the words of "I Believe," don't just sing it, but know it and live it out. Make Jesus the Lord of your life. Make every activity and thought point to Him.
When you sing, do you do so in complete submission or sing the words? The song's sentiment represents something the global church can cling to and proclaim loudly. We raise our hands to celebrate and surrender. We can confidently lift our hands to God and know His mercy is unfailing. His love is never-ending. He is our refuge and our strength. God's ultimate will is not to bring affliction but to restore us so that we may experience His unfailing love. I love singing this song back to Jesus and telling Him plainly that I need no other than Him.
The ministry of Phil Wickham has creatively helped believers to memorize and meditate on Scripture. Listeners can be edified and drawn to the presence of the Lord and call out and desire to be in His presence. This song helps set my mind on Christ, let distractions of the day melt away, and instead focus on worshiping the King of kings and Lord of lords. This stirring new worship music gives me the proper mindset to praise God for loving me so much that He gave His life away for all that was lost.
God's love was given at an outrageous cost: the life of His only begotten son. We should love God because He first loved us and love others unconditionally because Christ died for us while we were still sinners. That's a beautiful testimony to the truth of God's Word, which consistently tells us not to be afraid to be bold and not to be ashamed of the Gospel.
I love songs that allow me to have fun and praise God, and this song certainly does that. I enjoy how my love of fun, uplifting music, and biblical truth are all together in one tune. The song reminds us that our circumstances don't define our joy. Our position in Christ and His unending faithfulness are worthy of all our gratitude and adoration. A sincere desire to experience God’s presence can be heard in “I Believe.” You'll want to exclaim: "All praise to God our Father/All praise to Christ the Son/All praise to the Holy Spirit/Our God has overcome/The King who was and is and evermore will be/In Jesus' mighty name, I believe." Amen to that.
NRT lead contributor Kevin Davis is a long-time Christian music fan and an avid collector. He 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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