Solomon Ray - Goodbye Temptation Lyrics
Lyrics
The devil came knocking on my front door Told me lies I don't heard before But my heart don't answer like it used to do 'Cause I found the truth, yeah, I found the truth
Now I don't shake when the storm winds blow My roots run deep in that holy flow Grace done cleaned me whole, now I'm walking in freedom, yeah, body and soul
(Chorus) Say goodbye to temptation You no longer have control Yeah, I'm dead to all my sin and now alive in Christ alone Oh, I'm free, free in Christ alone
I used to dance with trouble 'til the break of dawn Trying to fill that hole with what was gone Now I'm shouting Hallelujah with a brand new tone 'Cause a Spirit in my soul and took me home Whiskey stronger than grace, ain't want to take its place Ain't my shame and praise, and I'm never looking back that way
(Chorus) So say goodbye to temptation You no longer have control Yeah, I'm dead to all my sin and now in Christ alone, I'm alive I'm alive in Christ alone
I was lost out in that jail tonight But He brought me back into the light My hands up high, my soul's restored, praise the Lord, I ain't who I was before Oh yeah, the devil had a plan, but the blood had power Every chain fell, every heart healed it out Now I'm free, oh
(Chorus) Say goodbye to temptation You no longer have control Yeah, I'm dead to all my sin and now alive In Christ alone, I'm alive, I'm alive in Christ alone, yeah, I'm alive, praise God, I'm alive in Christ alone
You can't take me back, no sir, I've been washed in that water And I ain't never turning around He's alive in Christ alone, say goodbye, He's alive Yeah, goodbye, goodbye in Christ alone
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Solomon Ray - Goodbye Temptation (Lyrics)
Meaning & Inspiration
Solomon Ray’s "Faithful Soul" isn’t trying to be clever, and honestly, that’s a relief. When I’m looking at a setlist for Sunday morning, I’m often wading through songs that try so hard to be poetic that they forget to actually say anything. This song doesn't have that problem. It’s gritty, and it’s direct.
The line that catches me every time is, "Whiskey stronger than grace, ain't want to take its place." It’s a messy, honest admission. We spend so much time in church pretending we’ve never preferred the immediate comfort of a vice over the slow, agonizing work of sanctification. Most modern worship tunes want to skip the "whiskey" part and jump straight to the "victory," but Ray acknowledges the conflict. It mirrors that desperate tension in Romans 7, where Paul talks about doing the very thing he hates. It’s an admission that the old appetites aren't always silent; they just don’t get the final say anymore.
When we lead a room, the "Landing" is everything. If the song ends and the people are just feeling good about their own resolve, we’ve missed the mark. Ray shifts the weight quickly, though: "The devil had a plan, but the blood had power."
That’s the pivot point. It’s not about how strong my willpower is or how loud I can shout "Hallelujah." It’s entirely about the efficacy of the blood. If the congregation leaves the room thinking they’ve finally beaten their demons through sheer grit, they’ll be crushed by Tuesday. But if they leave holding onto the objective truth that their freedom isn't a result of their own strength, but a result of what happened on the Cross—that the "blood had power"—then they have something to lean on when the storm actually hits.
Musically, the phrasing is straightforward enough that a congregation doesn't have to study a manual to sing it. There isn't a complex, syncopated melody getting in the way of the confession. It’s a simple declaration: "I'm dead to all my sin and now alive in Christ alone." It’s a jarring statement, really. It forces us to reckon with the reality of Colossians 3:3—that our lives are hidden with Christ. It’s not a suggestion; it’s a positional truth.
I find myself wondering if we actually believe that, or if we’re just singing it because it fits the rhythm. Are we dead to it, or are we just on a temporary break? Ray’s delivery doesn't give us an easy out. It’s assertive, but it feels like the kind of song that sounds best when it’s sung with a bit of dirt under the fingernails. It reminds me that grace isn't a polite suggestion; it’s an invasion that changes the geography of a person’s life. It’s not a polished aesthetic; it’s an exit from the jail cell.