Lyrics
O Church arise
And put your armor on;
Hear the call of Christ our Captain;
For now the weak
Can say that they are strong
In the strength that God has given.
With shield of faith and belt of truth
We’ll stand against the devil’s lies;
An army bold whose battle cry is love
Reaching out to those in darkness.
Our call to war
To love the captive soul,
But to rage against the captor;
And with the sword
That makes the wounded whole
We will fight with faith and valour.
When faced with trials on every side,
We know the outcome is secure,
And Christ will have
The prize for which He died
An inheritance of nations.
Come see the cross
Where love and mercy meet,
As the Son of God is stricken;
Then see His foes
Lie crushed beneath His feet,
For the Conqueror has risen!
And as the stone is rolled away,
And Christ emerges from the grave,
This victory march continues till the day
Every eye and heart shall see Him.
So Spirit come
Put strength in every stride,
Give grace for every hurdle,
That we may run
With faith to win the prize
Of a servant good and faithful.
As saints of old still line the way,
Retelling triumphs of His grace,
We hear their calls and hunger for the day
When with Christ we stand in glory.
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Song History & Meaning
Composer / Hymnodist: Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
"O Church, Arise" reminds us that our true strength does not come from our own power, but from Christ, our victorious Captain. When we feel weak or weary, God invites us to put on His armor—truth, faith, and love—and stand firm against the darkness. We are not called to fight with anger, but to reach out with the redeeming love of Jesus. Today, let us step forward courageously, knowing that in Christ, we are more than conquerors.
📖 Related Scripture Passages:
- Ephesians 6:10-11: “Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: “He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
- Romans 8:37: “No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”