"Opposite Way" by Leeland is my favorite song from Opposite Way. The song is an amazing worship anthem encouraging believers to follow Christ's example of being in the world, but not of the world. The song is based on Paul’s letter to the Colossians in Chapter 3, verses 4-8.

Colossians 3:4-8 (The Message)
Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you'll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ. And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That's a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. It's because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. It wasn't long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it's all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk.

To me, being dead means that those who have the Holy Spirit are able to despise earthly things, and to desire things that are heavenly. Christ lives in the believer by his Spirit, and the believer lives for Him. This song really brings that calling to life for me as Jesus lived out the example of living the opposite way on our behalf so that we only need to live for heaven. What a great comfort to know that we have Him in us to guide us.

The following is a blog from Leeland frontman Leeland Mooring as part of the band's "Opposite Way Campaign":

"Every night that we play a concert, we’re able to share about the life-changing decision of choosing to live the opposite way. Countless people share with us how blessed they’ve been by the message of our new record, Opposite Way. It’s so awesome to see the look on people’s faces when they realize that they too can go the opposite way – that they can live completely different from the world. For many of us, living for Jesus has become nothing but a routine. It’s like going to a huge theme park and jumping on the smallest kid ride and going round and round in circles, and being a zombie on the ride, while there are amazing adventures waiting all around. We must realize that the purpose of our life is to give glory to God. When you live the opposite way, and give your life away to God, He begins to change your character, your personality, everything about you – into His. He changes the things that used to negatively affect you, and you start acting the way that Jesus would. You begin to find yourself putting off anger, wrath, sexual immorality and all types of other things that are not pleasing to God; things that are the opposite of the opposite way. Be encouraged. Jesus loves you and wants only the best for your life. Make a difference in your lifetime: live the opposite way." --In Christ, Leeland Mooring

Lyrics to "Opposite Way"

Living in the same town
For all these years
Doing the same old things
Hanging with the same crowd
And it's starting to get crippling
You've never felt in place
And you tell yourself it's all okay
But something's different today
You want to run the opposite way

And it seems like you're locked in a cage
And you need to find a way of escape
When everyone is setting the pace
It's okay to run the opposite way

The Father sent His Son down
The light of men
The cross He bore was crippling
Rejected in His own town
They couldn't see the sun shining
He knelt in the garden and prayed
Father, let this cup pass from me
It's not Your will for me to stay
Your will for me is the opposite way

And it seemed like He was locked in a cage
And He couldn't find away of escape
But through the cross He conquered the grave
My Jesus ran the opposite way

Oh, and through the cross He conquered the grave
Oh, He ran the opposite way
Yeah, through the cross He conquered the grave
So you could run the opposite way

I can’t help but breakdown when the song changes to being sung from the perspective of Jesus. Even though He was rejected, tortured and killed, He did it for me so that I can run the opposite way. Extremely powerful and incredibly inspiring sacrifice and song.

You can listen to the song by clicking here.

In closing, at the end of the powerful video set to this song the words of Paul to the Philippians scroll on the screen and what a great 'sending out' message to all of us.

Philippians 3:12-14 (The Message)

Focused on the Goal
I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.