Bethel Music - No Longer Slaves Lyrics

No Longer Slaves

No Longer Slaves Song Meaning, Biblical Reference and Inspiration

Bethel Music's song "No Longer Slaves," released in January 2015, has become a powerful anthem resonating deeply with listeners seeking freedom and identity. The song opens with an intimate portrayal of God's presence, describing being "unravel[ed]" and "surround[ed]" by a melody and song of deliverance. This sets the stage for the core message: the transformative power of divine love and intervention that dispels fear and sets one free from its grip, moving from a state of being overwhelmed to one surrounded by divine protection and peace.

The central declaration, repeated throughout the song, is "I'm no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God." This powerful contrast highlights a fundamental shift in identity. Fear is presented as a form of bondage, a state of slavery, while being a child of God represents true freedom and belonging. This declaration is not merely a statement of hope but an assertion of a foundational truth about the believer's position, establishing the song's core theme of liberation through divine adoption.

The lyrics delve further into the basis of this new identity, tracing it back to divine origin and calling. Phrases like "From my mother's womb, You have chosen me" and "Love has called my name" speak to a predestined purpose and a personal relationship initiated by God. The imagery of being "born again to a family" with God's "blood flows through my veins" emphasizes a spiritual rebirth and a deep, intrinsic connection through sacrifice, signifying not just adoption but a profound, familial bond that replaces the chains of fear with the ties of belonging.

The song builds momentum with collective declarations and imagery of God's active power. The bridge includes chants asserting being "surrounded by the arms of the Father" and "surrounded by songs of deliverance," reinforcing the theme of divine protection and freedom. The corporate "We've been liberated," "We're the sons and the daughters," calls listeners into a shared experience of freedom and encourages them to "sing our freedom" together, emphasizing the communal aspect of this spiritual liberation.

A powerful biblical image is introduced with "You split the sea so I could walk right through it," referencing the Exodus story where God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt by parting the Red Sea. This serves as a potent metaphor for God's ability to make a way through impossible situations and overcome overwhelming obstacles. The line "My fears are drowned in perfect love" directly links this historical act of deliverance to the internal experience of freedom from fear, identifying perfect love (as described in Scripture) as the force that conquers fear. The resulting response is one of worship and affirmation: "You rescued me, and I will stand and sing, I am a child of God."

The song concludes with fervent affirmations of the central truth: "Yes, I am, I am a child of God." These repeated declarations, including the addition "Full of faith," serve to cement the identity in the listener's mind and heart. The repetition reinforces the truth and encourages a move from intellectual understanding to confident, faith-filled ownership of the identity as a child of God, secure in freedom from fear and grounded in divine love and belonging. The song effectively translates profound theological truths about identity, adoption, and freedom into a relatable and powerful worship experience. Related scripture references that resonate with the song's themes include Romans 8:15 ("For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father.’"), Galatians 4:7 ("So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."), 1 John 4:18 ("There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear..."), and the Exodus account found in the book of Exodus.