Elevation Worship (Feat. Tauren Wells) – Never Lost

Elevation Worship is a rock band that dominates the airwaves.  Forming in 2007, they are a force to be reckoned with, releasing 19 albums and 8 EP’s.

Elevation won two GMA Dove awards last year.  These include Spanish Language Album of the Year (Aleluya (En La Tierra)) and Worship Recorded Song of the Year (The Blessing (Live)).

Also, check out my other seventeen Elevation Worship reviews. 

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.  I strongly encourage you to consider the potential blessings and dangers of this artist‘s theology by visiting Resources.

1. What message does the song communicate?

The song starts by speaking God’s ease in performing miracles.  It then compares the raising of Lazarus to our “coming out” of sorts.  This could be interpreted as:

1. God causes us to become born again, or
2. God removes all struggles and distress from our lives.

Examining my own life, and the Christians around me, it’s not hard to see that we struggle with our warring against the flesh, the world, and the devil.  Yet, some lessons cannot be learned without overcoming hardship.  If God were to remove all wrestling, how can we learn to become compassionate, generous, loving, and forgiving?  Therefore, the second interpretation doesn’t make sense.

The song moves into Pre-Chorus, where Elevation Worship states that God will “come through again”.  Its placement directly after Verse 1 and Verse 2, both of which I concluded is about becoming born again, communicates that God must rescue us again from spiritual deadness.  This is a blow against the finished work of Christ, that we must crucify Him all over again to be saved.

If Elevation Worship meant to say miracles, there’s also the problem that some will interpret Chorus also as miracles, concluding that God will not fail to do miracles in our lives.  This interpretation can lead many to the “word of faith” movement, which promotes that if God doesn’t heal you, then there’s something wrong with your faith, robbing people of great joy that comes with perseverance under trial.

Chorus makes more Biblical sense if we interpret it as God sustaining us through life, under the power of the Holy Spirit.

Score: 6/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

Assuming we interpret “tomb of every Lazarus” to mean “dead in sin, alive in Christ”, then this song is mostly Biblical.  There’s an issue within Pre-Chorus, that might suggest we must become born again, again.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

Miracles when You move
Such an easy thing for You to do

If God can create the universe by speaking (Genesis 1:3-27), then what miracles are impossible for a God like that (Genesis 18:14, Jeremiah 32:17, Jeremiah 32:27, Zechariah 8:6, Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27, and Luke 1:37)?

Your hand is moving right now
You are still showing up
At the tomb of every Lazarus
Your voice is calling me out

The “tomb of Lazarus” comes from John 11:1-44.  Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary, whom Jesus had previously visited in Luke 10:38-42.  They came to Jesus warning that Lazarus was sick.  Jesus was interrupted on his way to Lazarus, who died before Jesus could arrive.  Jesus wept.  Ordering the tomb to be opened, Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead.

In the same manner, God raises up people who are spiritually dead to become alive in Christ (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).  It is a miracle in the truest sense of the word, that is, divine intervention into human affairs.  It is God who causes us to become born again (1 Peter 1:3).  He is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

[Pre-Chorus]

Right now, I know You’re able
And my God, come through again

God is able to do what?  I don’t think Elevation Worship is clear about what they mean by that.

At best, it is about performing miracles.  if so, see commentary on Verse 1, lines 1 and 2.

At worst, these lines don’t make sense in the context of Verse 1 and Verse 2.  If Elevation Worship is made alive spiritually (John 3:3), and received a heart of flesh (see Verse 2), why would God need to come through again?  After all, Jesus died once and for all (Hebrews 7:27, Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:26-28, and Hebrews 10:10-14).  To suggest that God must “come through again” is to crucify Christ all over again (Hebrews 6:6), which is unbiblical.

If we reinterpret Verse 1’s tomb of Lazarus to mean “my present distress” that God calls us out, then there’s another problem.  Sometimes God allows bad things to happen so that we can grow (Romans 5:3-5, Hebrews 12:4-11, and James 1:2-4).  Thus, by God removing all struggles, His power will not be made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).  Therefore, this interpretation doesn’t make Biblical sense either.

[Chorus]

You can do all things
You can do all things but fail
‘Cause You’ve never lost a battle
No, You’ve never lost a battle
And I know, I know
You never will

What does it mean for God to “fail” or to “lose a battle”?  If we are to interpret this based on Verse 1 and 2, and ignoring Elevation Worship’s error in Pre-Chorus, for God to fail is for Him to lose one of His children.  Scripture tells us that this is impossible (John 6:39 and John 10:28-30).

[Verse 2]

Everything’s possible
By the power of the Holy Ghost

See commentary on Verse 1, lines 1 and 2.

A new wind is blowing right now
Breaking my heart of stone
Taking over like it’s Jericho
And my walls are all crashing down

Much like the walls of Jericho fell in Joshua 6:1-20, God destroys Elevation Worship’s stony, dead hearts, implying that they received a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19, Ezekiel 36:26, Jeremiah 31:33, and Hebrews 8:10).  Also, see commentary on Verse 1, lines 3-6.

[Bridge]

You’ve never lost a battle (You’ve never lost a battle)
You’ve never lost a battle (You’ve never lost a battle)
You’ve never lost a battle (You’ve never lost a battle)
You never will (Oh, You never will)
You’ve never lost a battle (You’ve never lost a battle)
You’ve never lost a battle (You’ve never lost a battle)
You’ve never lost a battle (You’ve never lost a battle)
Never, never (You’ve never lost a battle)

Essentially repeats portions of Chorus, lines 3-6.

So faithful
I know, I know, it’s who You are

As stated in Numbers 23:19, Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalm 33:4, Psalm 91:4, Psalms 119:90, Lamentations 3:22-23, 1 Corinthians 1:9, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, 2 Timothy 2:13, Hebrews 10:23, 2 Peter 3:9, and 1 John 1:9, God is faithful.

Score: 7/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

It’s hard to know how an unbeliever will interpret this song.

First, it’s thick with Christianese language, which requires deeper study to understand what Elevation Worship is talking about.

Second, there’s the issue over what it means for God to “come through again” that I’ve unpacked in sections 1 and 2.

Third, those outside the camp of Christ will find it difficult to identify what it means for God to “never lose a battle”, especially if they prayed to God and did not receive a response.  It will feel like a lost battle, which makes it harder for them to consider that Christianity is true.

On a positive note, I think unbelievers will think that this song is Christian, based on its references to God and the Holy Spirit.  I don’t know if that’s such a great thing, especially if it seems likely to leave a sour taste in their mouths.

Score: 2/10

4. What does this song glorify?

While it glorifies God, that He rescues sinners from eternal damnation, its unclear communication has great potential to lead others astray into the “word of faith” movement, dealing a major blow to His inherent glorification.

Score: 6/10

Closing Comments

I’m frustrated with Elevation Worship’s Never Lost.  There’s a variety of issues that propagate within this song, depending on which interpretation we choose.  While it’s Biblical that God performs miracles and that He rescues us from eternal damnation, I fear that it feeds into the “word of faith” movement, which teaches that miracles are guaranteed if we pray with enough faith.  This unbiblical doctrine does a disservice to the body of Christ.  Unbelievers will find it hard to connect with this song, especially those frustrated when God says “no” to them.

I cannot recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 5.5/10

Artist Info

Track: Never Lost (listen to the song)

Artist: Elevation Worship Feat. Tauren Wells

Album: Graves Into Gardens (Live)

Genre: Rock

Release Year: 2020

Duration: 6:51

Agree?  Disagree?  Don’t be shy or have a cow!  Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.

*Copyright © 2019 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (BMI) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Updates:

09/14/2021 – Per Artist Theology announcement, I expanded the red text to encourage others to study Elevation Worship’s theology.

03/24/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.