Battle Songs: a Playlist for Warriors

I have recently been working my way through Andrew Peterson’s The Wingfeather Saga, a fantasy-adventure series that I have found surprisingly delightful and engaging. The prose is poetic, the scenes are richly painted with honest human emotions, and the dialogue is laced with clean humour and touching sentiment. Most importantly, there is an ongoing state of conflict and tension, both internal and external. The protagonists are continually facing the risk of physical attack by very real and vicious enemies, struggling against their weaknesses and character flaws, and being faced with decisions that require personal risk and sacrifice. In other words, the story is dynamic and real. It is a fictional portrayal of an uncomfortable but inescapable component of human existence: life is a battlefield.

The stories that draw us in most personally involve conflict between forces of good and evil, both within the world and within the minds and hearts of people. The characters we tend to fall in love with are often portrayed as having a unique ability to overcome obstacles, whether mental/spiritual (fear, discouragement, self-doubt) or physical (injury, illness, or circumstantial weakness, such as extreme hunger or thirst). They are strong. They endure suffering courageously. They fight. They get up when they are knocked down. They seek to do good, even when it is difficult. In short, they are warriors.

In my youth, I was more of a worrier than a warrior. I spent many hours spinning out worst case scenarios in my mind, weaving webs of fear and easily convincing myself of my inadequacy in the face of the daily battles of life. Having to stand up to bullies in school triggered physical anxiety and illness in my weak immune system and nerve-wracked mind. Talking to strangers on the phone or in public places nearly brought tears to my eyes from fear of not knowing what to say. For years I suffered from nightmares and some days I terrified myself by imagining that all the horrible things I had heard about or read in stories would happen to me. From one day to the next, I was convinced I would be orphaned (like Annie, Oliver, or Anne of Green Gables), would go blind (after all, I had scarlet fever as a baby, just like Mary Ingalls did as a girl), would be attacked by dogs or cougars (this happened to children in my class and on the news) and on it went. You get the idea. My mind was a battlefield, and at many points it felt like darkness was gaining the upper hand.

However, through these struggles (and with the guidance and prayers of many wise family members and mentors) I have learned an important lesson. Life is not meant to be lived passively, because life is not a pre-made film we watch unfolding around us without our engagement. Life is an adventure that is unfolding in real time. It is full of risk and danger and decisions that have both temporal and eternal consequences. Much of this life is defined by struggle – against temptation, weakness, injustice, pain, suffering, and all that is fallen in our human condition and broken world. Most of us would not deny this reality. But do we live with the awareness that these struggles are spiritual in nature? And do we therefore acknowledge that these battles cannot be won by relying on our own strength?

That they require a divine remedy? That they urge us to depend on God’s grace?

Scripture is full of stories and language that depict the cosmic struggle of human existence. The entire story of salvation revolves around the reality of spiritual warfare, the conflict between good (God) and evil (Satan) and the desire of each to win our souls (Josh Garrels’ “Born Again,” a song from my Battle Songs playlist, speaks directly to this reality: Running scared in between / What I hate and what I need / Savior and enemy are both trying to take my soul / And I can't hide no more).

St. Peter has some words of warning on the matter of Satan’s attempts to capture us in his trap: Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour (1 Peter 5). Do we recognize the actions of this adversary in our daily life? Do we take seriously the fact that there is an enemy that we are called to fight through prayer, fasting, and acts of charity that drive the darkness away from our souls and draw us closer to Christ? “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate…it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me” (Romans 7:15-16). What steps are we taking to counter the concupiscence that our human nature must struggle against? What graces are we seeking out to strengthen ourselves against temptation? Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth (Colossians 3:2); Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things (Philippians 4:8). Are we training our minds and hearts to seek out what is true and pure so that our conscience might be better able to discern good from evil, our hope can be grounded in things eternal, and we might have the courage to choose and defend what is good and holy?

No warrior enters battle without armour and expects to survive the blows of the enemy or make any progress towards victory. Do we take active steps to put on the full armour of God that equips us for this battle that is beyond what our eyes can see, our humanity can withstand, and our minds can comprehend?

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith,

with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:10-17).

St. Paul sets out a very useful strategy for spiritual warfare in this passage, and it is worth examining our spiritual armour regularly to determine if we are prepared to face the threats of the prowling lion who tempts us to sin, despair, mistrust of God, false worship, false doctrine, etc. Do we seek truth? Act out of righteousness? Cultivate peace in our hearts so that we might live out and proclaim peace to the world? Live out of true faith, desiring and moving towards complete trust in and love of our Creator? Invite the Holy Spirit into our conversations, decisions, and relationships so that they might be animated with the very breath of God and we would be led towards wisdom and knowledge of the truth (John 16:15)? Seek strength in God’s Word?

I often find comfort in knowing that I am not alone in my experiences of struggling with fear, negativity, suffering, sin, and the many imperfections and imperfect circumstances that I take up my sword against and duel with from day to day. I also take courage from the messages of hope that are shared by those who have conquered these struggles and found victory on the battlefield. This is one reason I decided to create a Spotify playlist called “Battle Songs” that would represent the many facets of spiritual warfare and the victory that ultimately comes in Christ.

Here are a few tracks/lyrics on this playlist that particularly stand out to me these days (along with a short reflection on the first two songs):

“Warriors” by Land of Color

We don't have to win

We don't have to lie

We don't have to always get it right

Even when we fall

The battle's not our own

We will find the strength when we let go

To be your warriors

Success in this spiritual battle does not depend on us. Our individual gifts, intelligence, skills, and preparedness can and will let us down. If we rely on these for our victory our courage will falter. But when we remember the paradox of our faith, we can have great hope: for when I weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). This is the astonishing battle cry of the Christian. It is in our weakness, in our letting go of control, that God’s strength and glory shine through and his will (for our deliverance) is accomplished.

"Someday Soon” by Wilder Woods

There is a shadow in the hallway trying to frighten you

Don't let the darkness surround ya, you can make it through

Don't you give up on the kingdom, think it's crashing in

No, it ain't worth all the worry, they'll still let you in

Someday soon these worries roll on

Someday soon enough

This song speaks to the girl in me who spent far too much of her life living in fear of the dark, worrying about not being good enough, worrying that the world would fall apart, worrying that her worst nightmares would become reality. In those moments, she forgot to live out of the hope and promise of God’s faithfulness, and to remember that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1: 5).

Interestingly, this song also comments on the fact that our struggles will never completely end while we are on this earth. To remain equipped for the battle we must persevere in prayer and faith for as long as we continue to encounter the attacks of the enemy (which will be as long as we are on this side of heaven):

Sometimes the cold wind blows, sometimes the wolves rush in

Don't think the battle's over just 'cause you say "Amen"

“Chances” by NEEDTOBREATHE

It's always hard to find the courage to start dancing

But I am determined to take my chances

Peace can be hard to find in all this misunderstanding

But I am determined to take my chances

“There is a Peace” by Harvest

You've been tempted and shaken tested and failed

You've been so far from Jesus and too close to hell

Your vision's been clouded by this world's delight

But I tell you you're not of this world so stand up and fight

You’re not of this world so stand up and fight

“Soldier On” by Apollo LTD

Every day's a battle You've already won

So when the night is long, I soldier on

Bring the enemies on

Bring 'em if they dare

'Cause You're just that strong

And I'm not that scared

They can knock me down

But You pick me up

Gonna hold my ground

In the name of love

“Warrior” by Roo Panes

Oh, it's never gonna happen

They'll never bring you down

You're walking into victory

Even in the darkest hour

You used to hold it in

But it's time to let it out

All that joy that's hid within you

Oh, it's time to hear the sound

“Mountain” by Strahan

Every fortress falls in the war

And only blood is drawn by the sword

Every hollow filled with your presence

And every child is a child of God

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

- 1 Timothy 6:11-16