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The song, Way Maker is one of the few African Gospel Songs to become true global sensations. It has been re-recorded by many different artists and sung in so many churches around the world. However, in the last year, I have heard a couple of very prominent preachers, demonise this song, and labeled it as unbiblical.
Those who know me know that I do not like controversies, I do not like to talk publicly about other men of God, and I do not like to be caught up in these body of Christ politics. However, yesterday (10 February 2023) as I was minding my own business, the Holy Spirit began to speak to me regarding this artist, regarding why this song launched this artist to another level of glory, and why the preachers speaking against her are offended by this song.
He began to push me to teach, not only on why this song is biblical, but on why more gospel artists should sing this kind of music, which glorifies God, than the ones which glorifies themselves.
So, the presentation will follow the following structure.
1.) The Argument Against the song.
2.) Who is the real Miracle Worker, you or God?
3.) What Happens to Men Who Perform Their Own Miracles?
4.) The Dangers of Taking God’s Glory
5.) Our approach to God vs The Devil?
1.) The Argument Against the Song.
Here is an excerpt of the lyrics of the song.
You are here, Moving in our midst. I worship you, I worship you. You are here, Working in this place. I worship you, I worship you. x2
Way maker, Miracle worker, Promise keeper, Light in the darkness
My God, That is who you are
Way maker, Miracle worker, Promise keeper, Light in the darkness
My God, That is who you are.
Those who speak against this song, say that the lyrics are biblically incorrect. They say that when Jesus ascended to heaven he gave us authority to perform miracles in his name, and therefore it is not God, but us the sons of God who are the true miracle workers. they say that God is no longer performing miracles, and no longer the way maker and no longer the light, we are.
This is the scripture used.
Matthew 10:7-9 (NIV)
7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
So the preachers say that the song should be sung as,
“Waymaker, Miracle worker, light in the darkness, that is WHO WE ARE.”
Whilst it may seem like it makes sense, but as we go into the bible you will see why this argument is not only wrong, but it’s an attack against Jesus Christ himself. You have to understand that this preaching is not just an attack against this song, and it’s not an attack against the artist, it’s actually a direct attack against the God who is being glorified by this song. It’s not even jealously against the artist, but there’s something which is getting offended, when God gets glory and praise for miracles performed. And that thing, is much happier if men of God get all the glory, the praise and the honour.
Let’s get into the bible, and unmask it.
2. Who is the real Miracle Worker
a) It is true that Jesus sent out the apostles and commanded them to heal the sick, raise the dead and preach the gospel. But after he had told them to go and do these things, he gave them a very strict warning about what they must testify, after they have performed the miracles.
Luke 17:10 (NIV)
10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
Jesus warns that, we must not take glory to ourselves, but rather we must confess that we are unworthy servants, only doing our duty.
We are unworthy servants.
b) When the apostles began to preach the gospel, the bible is clear that their job was to preach, but it was the Lord Jesus who performed the miracles, as a testimony to his gospel preached.
Mark 16:19-20 (ESV)
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.
Hebrews 2:3-4 (NIV)
This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
c) It is because men do not perform miracles, it is God who works miracles through the hands of men.
Acts 19:11 (NKJV)
11 *Now God worked unusual miracles* by the hands of Paul,
The hands which were being laid on the sick were Paul’s hands, but the one performing the miracles was God, not Paul. The Apostle Paul makes it clear to the churches, that the one performing the miracles among them was God.
Acts 15:12 (NKJV)
12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.
So God is the one who works miracles, but he does so through us. We are mere vessels, and Jesus says we must proclaim that we are UNWORTHY servants.
d) The first miracles performed by the church was the raising of a crippled man through the hands of Peter and John. After this miracle was performed, Peter makes it clear that the miracle was not performed through his own power, or his own righteousness, but by the name of Jesus Christ.
Acts 3:12, 16 (NIV)
12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
e) Jesus himself then gave himself as an example. After he had performed miracles, signs and wonders, greater than anyone has ever done, he then said, It was not me, but it was the Father, and he said I myself can not do anything alone.
John 5:19 (NIV)
19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
John 5:30 (NIV)
_30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me._
John 14:10 (NIV)
The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
If Jesus himself would not take away the glory of the Father, but rather testified, that it was God the Father doing the work, who are we today to say that it is wrong for people to preach God as the miracle worker. God is the miracle worker, and he works these miracles through his unworthy servants. Jesus Christ was the only WORTHY servant, all other servants are unworthy to even be God’s servants.
3.) What Happens to Men Who Perform Their Own Miracles?
In the kingdom of God, it is God who works miracles through the hands of men. Men are not the miracle workers. So in the end, God receives all the honour, all the glory and all the praise. Revelation 5: 11-12
But Jesus did prophesy that there are many men, who will perform their own miracles, and do their own signs and wonders and even cast out demons, without him. And on the last day, Jesus will tell them to go back to to where they did those works.
Matthew 7:22-23 (NIV)
22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Any miracles performed by anyone other than God, are evil doings. So if a preacher or prophet, is performing miracles, signs and wonders, and then tells me directly that it is not God performing these miracles, it is HIM performing miracles, without God, then it’s clear that this has nothing to do with God’s kingdom. Be careful.
4.) The Dangers of taking God’s Glory
Isaiah 42:8 (NIV)
8 “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.
Who was it that took the Children of Israel from Egypt to Canaan. Was it God or Moses?
There was a time when God was speaking to Moses in anger, and he said to Moses, take YOUR people, whom YOU took out of Egypt. But Moses understood that when God begins to give you credit, and say, these are YOUR people, and this deliverance is YOUR achievement, it is not a compliment. You should not celebrate, because it is a sign that God is disowning you, and the people.
Exodus 32:7-10 (NIV)
7 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 10 Now leave
5.) Our approach to God vs The Devil
When you are praying or singing know who you are talking to. The way we approach the presence of God is different from the way we approach the devil. When we approach the devil, we approach him with authority, with power and we declare to him who Christ is, and who we are in Christ.
But when we approach the presence of God, we must approach him with humility, with brokenness, for in his presence we are nothing, and he is everything.
James 4:10 (ESV)
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
When you enter into the presence of God, you enter to receive, not to give. So when you are in his presence, you declare how great he is, so you can receive of his greatness, you confess how holy He is, so you can partake of his holiness, you confess how righteous he is, so you can receive of His righteousness.
You don’t approach God’s throne so you can start singing about how you are the light in the darkness, and how you are the miracle worker, and how you are so righteous. Those are thing we confess to ourselves when entering into the territory of the devil. But when speaking to God, we are unworthy servants. We must humble ourselves, and not see ourselves, but see only him.
Isaiah 57:15 (ESV)
15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
Isaiah 66:2 (ESV)
2 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
When we get into prayer to confess our righteousness, Jesus says, you are praying to yourself, not to God, and when you leave that prayer, you leave it having received nothing.
Let the following lesson sink into you….
Luke 18:10-14 (WEB)
10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’
13 But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.
Conclusion
Humble yourself before God if you want to be exalted by him. When you are singing praise and worship, who are you praising? Are you praising yourself, or are you praising God? Are you worshiping yourself or are you worshiping God? Are you praying to yourself or are you praying to God?
I believe according to James 4:10 and Isaiah 57:15, When the writer of the song in question wrote this song, which humbles the church before God, and gives glory to God for power, for light, for miracles, for direction and for everything, she in turn was exalted, as scripture promised, and the enemy was offended.
STAY BLESSED.
