Elevation Worship (Feat. Chris Brown & Tiffany Hudson) – When Wind Meets Fire

Elevation Worship is a church-led band that was created in 2007.  They join Bethel Music and Hillsong as the “big three” that has the biggest reach in modern Christian music.  They released many albums and EP’s.

They also won nine awards, including two Billboard for Top Christian Artist (2021) and Top Christian Song (Graves into Gardens, 2021), and two GMA Dove awards for Spanish Language Album of the Year (Aleluya (En La Tierra), 2020) and Worship Recorded Song of the Year (The Blessing (Live), 2020).

Also, check out my other 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?

Elevation wants to live sacrificially for Jesus amid recognition that Christ made their lungs used to worship.  They invite Jesus into their heart and the Holy Spirit to rest upon them.  Everything that God has spoken will come to pass, including life to those who are His.

My chief complaint is the “all consuming flame” inside us, which is more about God’s judgment in destruction than burning away bad things within us.  Section 2 contains a deeper analysis of this concept.

Side Note: To those annoyed by massive repetition, Bridge essentially repeats the same two lines 5 times and another half of a time.  Outro also contains a quad block with two lines on repeat.

Score: 8/10

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

Almost the entire song aligns with God’s inspired Word, except for “consuming fire” in Chorus.  This refers to destruction, which is not something Christians will experience (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

Lord, let my life be an altar

As summarized in Romans 12:1.

Light up my lungs with Your praise
‘Cause I can’t breathe until You breathe
So breathe on me

The life that Elevation has to worship God ultimately comes from Him (Genesis 1:1-3, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 8:3-8, Psalm 33:6, Psalm 96:5, Proverbs 3:19, Isaiah 37:16, Isaiah 42:5, Isaiah 45:18, Isaiah 66:1-2, John 1:1-3, Ephesians 3:9, Colossians 1:16, and Revelation 4:11).

Let my life be an altar

Essentially repeats line 1.

[Interlude (1)]

Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh

Calls out to Casper the friendly ghost.

Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh

Repeats line 1.

[Pre-Chorus]

This is a moment when wind meets fire
Come on in
Our hearts are burning for fresh revival
Blow again

Most likely references Acts 2:1-4, where the Holy Spirit came like a rushing wind and appeared as fire upon the heads of Jesus’ disciples during Pentecost after Jesus ascended.

This is a moment when wind meets fire
Come on in
Our hеarts are burning for fresh revival
Blow again

Repeats lines 1-4.

[Chorus]

Our God is consuming firе
Our God is a Holy wind

This is probably meant to be a reference back to Pre-Chorus.  God’s “consuming fire” appears in Deuteronomy 4:24 and Hebrews 12:29. However, the way that Elevation uses it is incorrect. They mean “consume” to be a good thing, but the Bible says otherwise.

Deuteronomy 4:21-24 is about God’s anger and judgment. Moses tells the Israelites that he will not enter the promised land because he sinned (Numbers 20:8-13 and Deuteronomy 32:51–52). He warns Israel not to commit idolatry because God is a jealous God; a “consuming fire”. Jealous not because He is envious, but because of Israel’s unfaithfulness (compare Merriam-Webster definitions 1 and 2b).

Regarding Hebrews 12:29, the context begins in Verse 26, which quotes from Haggai 2:6. Notice in Hebrews 12:26 that it’s not just the earth that shakes. It is also heaven! Haggai 2 also mentions the heaven(s) shaking. There is also the “once more” that appears in both passages, denoting a future event. Hebrews 12:27 talks about the shaking process, leaving behind the Kingdom of God that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28). Then, finally, it adds God as a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29), which takes us back to God’s judgment in Deuteronomy.

Where else in Scripture does it talk about heaven and earth shaking, God’s judgment, and the unshakable Kingdom? The book of Revelation! Specifically, the seventh bowl of wrath (Revelation 16:17-21), Christ’s judgment on unbelievers (Revelation 19:11-21 and Revelation 20:11-15), and new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-27).

Thus, Elevation is asking God to bring wrath and judgment on them, which is unbiblical.

Whatever You speak is done

God’s Word is true (John 17:17).

Whatever You touch will live

God will have mercy on whomever He wishes (Exodus 33:19 and Romans 9:15-16).

Our God is consuming fire
Our God is a holy wind
Whatever You speak is done
Whatever You touch will live
Whatever You speak is done
Whatever You touch will live
Whatever You speak is

Repeats/essentially repeats lines 1-4.

[Bridge]

So come on in, come on in

References Revelation 3:20.

Whatever You touch will live

Repeats Chorus, line 4.

Come on in, come on in, Jesus
Whatever You touch will live
Come on in, come on in
Whatever You touch will live
Come on in, come on in
Whatever You touch will live
Come on in, come on in
Whatever You touch will live
Come on in, come on in

Repeats/essentially repeats lines 1 and 2.  Jesus is named explicitly in line 3.

This is

Repeats the beginning part of Pre-Chorus, line 1.

[Interlude (2)]

So breathe on me
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Holy Spirit, breathe

Casper reference notwithstanding, see commentary on Pre-Chorus, lines 1-4.

Holy Spirit, breathe
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh

Repeats lines 4 and 5.

[Outro]

You ask, can these bones live again?

References Ezekiel 37:3.

And then, I hear Your voice answer with wind

That is, yes.  See Chorus, line 4.

You ask, can these bones live again?
And then, I hear Your voice answer with wind
You ask, can these bones live again?
And then, I hear Your voice answer with wind, oh
You ask, can these bones live again?
And then, I hear Your voice answer with wind

Repeats/essentially repeats lines 1 and 2.

Score: 8/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

This song is thick with Christianese language, yet, still easy for unbelievers to follow along.  Jesus is mentioned explicitly, alongside the Holy Spirit and the word “God”, pointing them towards a Christian interpretation.  This song is about worship with a voice that God made.

Some unbelievers will likely be put off by the idea that God is a consuming fire.

Score: 8/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies Jesus and the Holy Spirit as objects of worship and their roles to save, revitalize, and push Elevation towards life-giving transformation and to praise Him with their words and deeds.  However, Elevation’s usage of “consuming fire” is not consistent with Scripture.

Score: 8/10

Closing Comments

Elevation Worship’s When Wind Meets Fire is mostly good.  It calls us to personally sacrifice for Jesus, living for Him in all aspects of our lives.  It also invites Christ and the Holy Spirit to permeate our bodies, reminding us that they created us.  These bring Him glory.  However, Elevation errs when they speak of the consuming fire that is Biblically about judgment on themselves.  Aside from resisting the last point, unbelievers should easily interpret similarly.

I cannot recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 8/10

Artist Info

Track: When Wind Meets Fire (listen to the song)

Artist: Elevation Worship (Feat. Chris Brown & Tiffany Hudson)

Album: When Wind Meets Fire

Genre: Rock

Release Year: 2024

Duration: 7:11

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

*Copyright © 2024 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (BMI) / Elevation Worship Publishing2 (ASCAP) / Little Ruddy Fellow Songs (BMI) / Bell Music Publishing (BMI) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com), UR Creative (admin at CapitolCMGPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Updates:

11/18/2024 – The conclusion, genre, and duration somehow didn’t make it through when this song went live.  Thanks to Tyeisha and Randy Stiles for discovering this!