Bethel Music has introduced and developed several amazing worship leaders, including Brian and Jenn Johnson ("Have it All"), Amanda Cook, Jeremy Riddle, Steffany Gretzinger, Kalley Heiligenthal ("Ever Be"), Kristene DiMarco ("It is Well"), Paul and Hannah McClure, Josh Baldwin ("The War is Over"), and Melissa and Jonathan David Helser. They have introduced churches to their songs "One Thing Remains," "Forever," "You Make Me Brave," "No Longer Slaves," "Seas of Crimson" and "This is Amazing Grace."

The worship band's latest offering, Victory, released everywhere in late January, featuring 14 original live worship songs; all beautifully produced for the church. The album is inspired by the story of King Jehoshaphat and the unlikely victory won by sending worshipers to the front lines of battle in 2 Chronicles 20:22: "As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men who were invading Judah and they were defeated." Also, the project is intended to lead listeners to that place. If you are looking for new worship songs to sing with fellow believers, this album is chock-full of congregational songs, especially "Raise a Hallelujah," "Goodness of God," "Victory is Yours" and "Stand in Your Love." I had the chance to speak with Josh Baldwin about his infectious new worship song, "Stand in Your Love."
Please tell me the personal story behind the song.

The song kind of came out of nowhere for me. I hadn't been doing too much songwriting at the time as I had just released my album The War is Over, and wasn't in a season of thinking much about new songs. I was in Dallas, Texas on a trip and I ended up staying an extra day and stayed with Rita Springer and Mark Harris at Gateway Church. I was hanging out and they were writing songs for their Gateway album and I ended up staying and writing this song with them. Another guy named Ethan Hulse from Nashville who I had just met that day came in to tell us he was leaving and told us he had this song idea and the chorus. I was blown away and knew we needed to jump on it. He had about 45 minutes before he had to leave and we finished the song from there. "Brokenness and pain is all I know" were lyrics that set the tone for the verses as they are conversational and the song talks about what to do when life hits you. The chorus captures the fact that "perfect love casts out all fear."

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

2 Chronicles 20:15 (NIV): He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's."
 
Romans 15:13 (NIV): "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Ephesians 3:17-19 (NIV): "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
 
1 John 4:19 (VOICE): "We love because He has first loved us."

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV): "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

1 John 4:18-19 (NKJV): "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us."

Psalm 145:10-12 (VOICE): "All creation will stand in awe of You, O Eternal One. Thanks will pour from the mouths of every one of Your creatures; Your holy people will bless You. They will not be silent; they will talk of the grandeur of Your kingdom and celebrate the wonder of Your power. Until everyone on earth who has ears to hear knows Your valiant acts and the splendor of Your kingdom."
 
What is the takeaway message?

The song is very special to me because I wasn't expecting anything like what happened. I was really just hanging out with some heroes of mine, and I brought the song home with me to Redding, California and I worked on the bridge. I wanted the bridge to talk about the power in the name of Jesus. I led it for the first time on a Sunday morning, and I knew it was going to be special. I sent a link to the finished song to Mark and Rita and Ethan. It was one of those moments we couldn't have planned and the Lord put His hand on that night. It's been really special to sing this song. It even has a country vibe which feels like home for me being from North Carolina. I remember when we were writing the song we originally said "fear doesn't stand a chance in the face of Your love," and we ended up liking the message and play on words of "fear doesn't stand a chance when I stand in Your love." There is something about us standing firm on the promise of His love and being there. It's not even that we are doing anything. It's standing and being confident in who He is for us. That can remove fear in our lives. In connection with our new album Victory, it fits the theme as a victorious cry as standing in the promise that He has already won this war that we find ourselves in at times and to walk in His victory. There's power in what He has done and in His resurrection. We can walk in His love and not be shaken by fear.
 
Lyrics:
When darkness tries to roll over my bones
When sorrow comes to steal the joy I own
When brokenness and pain is all I know
Oh, I won't be shaken
No, I won't be shaken

My fear doesn't stand a chance 
When I stand in Your love
My fear doesn't stand a chance 
When I stand in Your love
My fear doesn't stand a chance 
When I stand in Your love

Shame no longer has a place to hide
I am not a captive to the lies
I'm not afraid to leave my past behind 
Oh, I won't be shaken
No, I won't be shaken

My fear doesn't stand a chance 
When I stand in Your love
My fear doesn't stand a chance 
When I stand in Your love
My fear doesn't stand a chance 
When I stand in Your love
Oh, I'm standing

There's power that can break off every chain
There's power that can empty out a grave
There's resurrection power that can save
There's power in Your name
Power in Your name

There's power that can break off every chain
There's power that can empty out a grave
There's resurrection power that can save
There's power in Your name
Power in Your name

My fear doesn't stand a chance 
When I stand in Your love
My fear doesn't stand a chance 
When I stand in Your love
My fear doesn't stand a chance 
When I stand in Your love
When I'm standing in Your love

My fear doesn't stand a chance 
When I stand in Your love
My fear doesn't stand a chance 
When I stand in Your love
My fear doesn't stand a chance 
When I stand in Your love

I'm standing in Your love
Standing on Your love
I'm standing on the Rock
Standing, standing in Your love

Closing Thoughts

Bethel Music's ministry has been marked by bringing people into an encounter with God's love through worship and discipleship. Their albums capture the heart of people who are passionate for God and seeking an encounter with His presence. This album is filled with overwhelming biblical truth. After repeated listens, the songs get deeper into the recesses of your heart with the comforting messages of the Bible that God is love, and we love because He first loved us. You can have joy and worship loudly about the love of God in your life. When you've encountered the love of God, you won't be the same.
 
We all deal with some level of fear, worry and anxiety. God knows that about us. I've read that God tells us 365 times in His Word "do not fear" or "do not worry," enough for a daily reminder to not spend time caught up in ourselves, but allowing ourselves to be satisfied with a fresh filling of God and His Holy Spirit every day. I have been attentive to that concept in my daily Bible study. This song celebrates the truth from Ephesians and Romans about grasping "how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." Allow the fullness of Christ's love to indwell in your heart and proclaim the truth of this song. One of the key takeaways of this song is "My fear doesn't stand a chance, when I stand in Your love." When you abide in His grace, you won't be the same. His grace takes away anxiety, and guilt and shame. Know that being His is enough. This is an incredible song for the Church. The theme of this song should be the heartbeat of every faithful Christian.
 
There are several scripture passages about standing in awe of the Lord, also reflected in the Matt Redman song "Let My Words Be Few." This song is in that same vein. Be captivated by the reverence of standing in awe of God. You'll be raising your heart and hands in worship along with this great new song. I hear in Josh's vocals a sincere yearning for God and thankfulness in his heart for God's mercy and grace. I'm completely convicted by the strong lyrics and find immense comfort in this song. Commit your heart to Jesus as your first love. I've written song devotionals about 956 songs lifting up the name of Jesus, and as I reflect on the Lord allowing for me to write about 1000 songs, all of those song devotionals cannot lift high enough His name, which we'll be singing for eternity. The foretaste of that blessed truth causes me to sing along loudly, "There's power that can break off every chain/ There's power that can empty out a grave/There's resurrection power that can save/There's power in Your name." Amen to that.