Out of the Dust · Track 4
A Redeemed Country song for anyone waiting in the dark for the morning
The question behind the song
How do I hold on when Satan is sifting me? Go back to the Word and remember what Christ did for you. Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail, and the reminder of the cross is what holds you until the morning comes.
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At the Last Supper, Jesus turns to Peter with a warning.
"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."
Luke 22:31–32Jesus didn't promise Peter he wouldn't be sifted. He told him He had already prayed for him. ("When thou art converted" here means "when you have turned back," not Peter's first salvation.) That same night Peter denied Him three times. Weeks later, by the sea, Jesus restored him and gave him work to do (John 21:15–17).
When Satan sifts a believer, he goes after their eyes. Fear, doubt, and old failures crowd out the view of Christ. The way to hold on is to go back to the Word, which God gave for exactly this:
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
Romans 15:4And the Word points us back to Jesus Himself:
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."
Hebrews 12:2–3Peter learned that lesson. The man Satan sifted later wrote to believers, "I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things" (2 Peter 1:12). He spent his ministry doing for others what the Word does for us in the dark: reminding us of Christ.
After my years in pastoral ministry ended in hurt and disappointment, I often wondered if God could ever use me again. I felt like I had somehow failed Him. And if I'm honest, I wasn't sure I even wanted to be used again to serve others.
For years, Satan sifted me. He filled my mind with fears and doubts. Whenever I'd decide to try again, he'd whisper, “Remember last time.”
The song opens with the words I'd use for that season: I'm all twisted, I've been sifted. I was in the dark of night, waiting for the dawn.
The middle of the song goes back to the day I was saved: “I read about this preacher who was more than a teacher.” That's what the Word did for me in the dark. It took me back to the cross and the day I bowed my knee, and reminded me that there is now no condemnation in Christ. The old has passed away and the new is here. My chains are gone and I am free.
But I've learned this: if I hold on to God, no matter what Satan says or does, the dawn will come.
These songs are part of that dawn.
Sifting doesn't always feel spiritual from the inside. Often it shows up as anxiety, and anxiety is not rare among believers. The song names what it feels like: you can't eat, you can't sleep, and you can't see the forest for the trees. Underneath it there's often a harder question: has God set me aside?
For that question, Luke 22 gives a clear answer. Jesus prayed for Peter's faith before the fall and planned his restoration after it.
Anxiety can have other causes too, including physical ones, so it's wise to talk with a pastor or biblical counselor, and a doctor when needed. Whatever its cause, Scripture tells us where to take the weight: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6).
The way out in the song isn't self-help. It's the cross: Crucified to set me free from the death that lived in me. I bow the knee, He broke the chain.
Crucified to set me free
From the death that lived in me
I bow the knee, He broke the chain
He died for me and bore my pain
The forest fades, the dark is gone
Blue skies rise with the coming dawn
For personal study, a small group, or Biblical Counseling. Listen to the song, read Luke 22:31–34, then work through these questions.
Romans 8:1 · 2 Corinthians 5:17 · John 8:36 · Philippians 4:6–7 · Hebrews 7:25 · John 21:15–17 · 2 Peter 1:12–13
Hear the full song at MaverickATC.com/songs/coming-dawn · Maverick at the Cross
Questions
How do I hold on when Satan is sifting me?
Go back to the Word and remember what Christ did for you. Jesus prayed for Peter “that thy faith fail not” (Luke 22:32), and Scripture was written “that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
What does it mean to be sifted by Satan?
Jesus used the picture of shaking grain in a sieve. Satan wanted to shake Peter's faith apart, but Jesus said, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not” (Luke 22:32).
Will God ever use me again after I've failed?
Peter denied Jesus three times. Jesus restored him (John 21:15–17), and weeks later Peter preached at Pentecost (Acts 2). Failure is not the end of usefulness to God.
What does the Bible say about anxiety?
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).
Is there a Christian song about anxiety and spiritual darkness?
Yes. “Coming Dawn” is a Redeemed Country song about being sifted, waiting in the dark, and the freedom Christ brings when the morning comes.
Where can I listen to “Coming Dawn”?
“Coming Dawn” is track 4 on the album Out of the Dust. It's on every major streaming service, and the full lyric video is on YouTube.
Coming Dawn is one stop on Out of the Dust, one redemption story from the first encounter with Jesus to the final victory.