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“Awake to His Call” is a summons. It is not a suggestion. It is a command from heaven to a sleeping church.
Let us look at what the Word of God says:
> “Therefore it says,
> ‘Awake, O sleeper,
> and arise from the dead,
> and Christ will shine on you.’”
> — Ephesians 5:14 (ESV)
Here Paul is addressing believers—people already saved—yet he speaks to them as “sleepers.” This tells us something vital: it is entirely possible to be born again, yet spiritually asleep, ineffective, unresponsive to the urgent purposes of God.
The lyrics of this song gather together several crucial New Testament and Old Testament calls:
The central burden is this:
God is calling His people to wake up, clean up, armor up, and stand up.
### Ephesians 5:14 – A Call to Sleeping Believers
Ephesians was written by Paul from prison, addressed to believers in Ephesus—a city marked by occultism, immorality, and idolatry (see Acts 19). These Christians lived surrounded by intense spiritual darkness. Paul spends much of Ephesians explaining their new position in Christ, then moves to practical instructions: how to walk in light in a dark world.
Then comes Ephesians 5:14:
> “Therefore it says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’”
This is likely drawn from an early Christian hymn or a paraphrase of Isaiah 60:1 (“Arise, shine, for your light has come”). The Spirit, through Paul, is addressing believers who have drifted into a condition of spiritual sleep. They are not physically dead, nor spiritually unregenerate, but they are living as though they were still in darkness.
### Romans 13:12 – The Nearness of Salvation
In Romans 13:11–12, Paul again stresses urgency:
> “For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
> The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
Here “salvation” is not conversion, but the final, consummated salvation at Christ’s return. As time advances, the day of Christ approaches. Therefore, it is not the hour for passivity, compromise, or indulgence. It is the hour to “cast off” and to “put on.”
### 1 Peter 5:8 – The Enemy Exploits Spiritual Sleep
Peter writes:
> “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
This is written to Christians under pressure and persecution. The devil seeks particularly those who are careless, dull, and spiritually sleepy. Watchfulness is a command, not an option.
### Joel 2:1 – Trumpet in Zion
Joel prophesies in a time of crisis, using a locust invasion as a picture of coming judgment. God commands:
> “Blow a trumpet in Zion;
> sound an alarm on my holy mountain!”
Zion is not the pagan world; it is God’s people. The alarm is sounded in the midst of the covenant community. God calls His own people to repentance, fasting, and return.
### Matthew 24:44 – Be Ready for the Unexpected Hour
Jesus warns:
> “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
The Lord places the responsibility of readiness on us. His coming is certain; the timing is hidden. That uncertainty is designed to produce constant spiritual alertness.
The lyrics of “Awake to His Call” weave these passages together into one urgent message for the church today.
### 1) “Awake, O Sleeper” – ἐγείρου, ὁ καθεύδων (Ephesians 5:14)
The Greek behind “awake” is ἐγείρου (egeirou), from *egeirō*. This verb is often used of raising from sleep and also raising from the dead (see Matt. 28:6, “He is risen”). It indicates a decisive, powerful action—a transition from one state to another.
“Sleeper” is from καθεύδων (katheudōn)—not merely resting, but being inactive, indifferent, unconscious to reality. Spiritually, a “sleeper” is someone who belongs to the day yet lives as if it were night.
So the command could be rendered:
> “Be raised up, you who are sleeping and living like the dead; step into a new state of alertness, and Christ will pour His light upon you.”
This deepens the meaning of the lyric:
“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead,
Christ will shine on you, just like He said.”
The song echoes the biblical promise: the moment we respond to God’s command to awaken, Christ Himself becomes our light.
### 2) “Blow the Trumpet” – תִּקְעוּ שׁוֹפָר (Joel 2:1)
In Joel 2:1 the Hebrew phrase is:
The shofar is not a musical decoration; it is a covenant alarm. It announces that something of eternal significance is at hand.
The line in the song:
> “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sound the alarm,
> The Lord is near with a mighty arm.”
captures this Old Testament imagery. When God’s trumpet sounds, it means:
### Intro
> Wake up! Wake up! The time is near,
> Salvation is closer than it appears.
> Put on the light, cast off the night,
> Rise and shine, step into the fight!
This is almost a poetic paraphrase of Romans 13:11–12:
Spiritual sleep always manifests in passivity. This opening confronts passivity with a call to active militancy in the Spirit.
### Verse 1
> Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead,
> Christ will shine on you, just like He said.
Direct echo of Ephesians 5:14. This is addressed to believers who are:
When they respond, “Christ will shine” on them. His light exposes, cleanses, directs, and empowers.
> The night is far gone, the day is at hand,
> Walk in the light, it’s time to stand!
This mirrors Romans 13:12. The “night” is the present evil age ruled by darkness. The “day” is the coming revelation of Christ. Since the day is at hand, we are called to:
> Lay aside the deeds of the dark,
> Put on the armor, ignite the spark.
> Don’t conform to the world’s disguise,
> Be transformed, let your mind arise!
Here several passages converge.
“Lay aside the deeds of the dark” — from Romans 13:12: “cast off the works of darkness.” “Lay aside” in Greek (apotithēmi) means to put off clothing. We must deliberately remove attitudes, habits, and practices that belong to darkness: impurity, bitterness, occult involvement, dishonesty, compromise.
“Put on the armor” — pointing to Ephesians 6:11: “Put on the whole armor of God.” This involves truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God. Notice: you cannot fight spiritual battles in your own garments. You must be clothed with God’s armor.
“Don’t conform… Be transformed” — echoing Romans 12:2:
> “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”
“Conformed” (syschēmatizō) means to take on the outward pattern of the present age. The world constantly pressures believers to adopt its values, speech, entertainments, and priorities.
“Transformed” (metamorphoō) indicates an inner transformation that shows outwardly. This happens through the renewing of the mind by the Word and Spirit of God.
So this verse declares:
If you want to wake up spiritually, you must:
1. Put off deeds of darkness.
2. Put on God’s armor.
3. Refuse conformity to the world.
4. Submit your mind to God’s renewing process.
### Chorus
> Wake up! Don’t slumber, don’t delay,
> The Lord is coming, prepare the way.
> Wake up! The time is now, arise,
> Look to the heavens, lift your eyes!
This chorus carries the theme of Matthew 24:44: “You also must be ready.” Delayed obedience is often disobedience. Hebrews 3:15 says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
“Prepare the way” recalls Isaiah 40:3 and John the Baptist’s ministry: removing obstacles, straightening paths, aligning lives with God’s rule.
“Look to the heavens, lift your eyes” points to a heavenly orientation:
Spiritual wakefulness is always tied to an eternal perspective.
### Verse 2
> Blow the trumpet in Zion, sound the alarm,
> The Lord is near with a mighty arm.
> Return to Him with all your heart,
> With fasting and weeping, make a new start.
This verse connects strongly to Joel 2.
“Return to Him with all your heart… with fasting and weeping” is almost a direct lift from Joel 2:12–13:
> “Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
This is not a superficial response. It is:
The phrase “make a new start” lines up with 2 Corinthians 5:17:
> “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
True returning to God is not just sorrow—it is a new creation lifestyle.
> The harvest is plenty, the workers are few,
> Wake up and step out, there’s work to do!
> Redeem the time, the days are evil,
> Fight the good fight, resist the devil.
Here we move from repentance to mission and warfare.
“The harvest is plenty, the workers are few” comes from Matthew 9:37–38. The problem is never the scarcity of souls to be saved. The problem is always a shortage of laborers who are willing, available, and obedient.
“Wake up and step out” means that spiritual awakening must issue in obedient action—evangelism, intercession, service, discipleship.
“Redeem the time, the days are evil” comes from Ephesians 5:16. “Redeem” (exagorazō) literally means to buy up, to purchase out of the marketplace, to seize every opportunity for the Kingdom in an evil environment.
“Fight the good fight, resist the devil” brings together:
Spiritual wakefulness is not passive piety. It is active resistance against Satan, grounded in faith and expressed in obedience.
### Chorus (Reprise)
The repetition of the chorus underscores that this is not a one-time call, but a continual summons to vigilance and readiness.
### Bridge
> Be alert! Stand firm in the faith,
> Act like men, be strong in His grace.
> Watch and pray, don’t be caught unaware,
> The Son of Man will return, prepare!
This is a synthesis of several New Testament imperatives.
“Be alert! Stand firm in the faith… be strong” reflects 1 Corinthians 16:13:
> “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
The phrase “act like men” (andrizesthe) does not refer to gender superiority, but to mature courage. God calls His people out of childishness and cowardice into spiritual maturity and bravery.
“Watch and pray” recalls Jesus’ words in Matthew 26:41:
> “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
“Don’t be caught unaware, the Son of Man will return, prepare!” again resonates with Matthew 24:44 and with Jesus’ repeated warnings about servants who are unprepared and asleep when the Master returns (Matt. 24:48–51; 25:1–13).
### Outro
> Wake up! The King is on His throne,
> The heavens declare what we’ve always known.
> Wake up! Let the praises ring,
> Our Savior reigns, He’s the eternal King!
The final focus is not on the darkness, the devil, or even the battle. It is on the enthroned Christ.
“The heavens declare what we’ve always known” evokes Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Creation testifies to the reality of the reigning Christ.
As we wake up, the natural response is praise. Spiritual awakening leads to worship, proclamation, and confidence that:
> “Our Savior reigns, He’s the eternal King!”
This aligns perfectly with Matthew 28:18: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
Spiritual truth must be translated into spiritual practice. How do we respond to this call to wake up?
### 1) Examine and Repent: Put Off the Night
First, we must respond to the command “Awake” by honest self-examination and repentance.
“Where am I spiritually asleep? Where have I tolerated darkness? Where have I conformed to this world?”
A simple pattern:
1. Confess the sin as sin.
2. Repent (turn from it in your will).
3. Renounce any involvement with darkness (especially occult, sexual immorality, unforgiveness).
4. Receive cleansing by the blood of Jesus.
5. Replace the old pattern with obedience to the Word.
### 2) Renew Your Mind: Put On the Light
Second, we must submit our minds to the Word of God.
A practical step:
Take key verses from the passages referenced (Eph. 5:14–16; Rom. 13:11–14; 1 Pet. 5:8–9; Eph. 6:10–11) and memorize them. Use them as weapons in your mouth. This is how you “put on the armor of light.”
### 3) Engage in Warfare: Put On the Armor
Third, we must consciously “put on the whole armor of God” (Eph. 6:10–11).
You can do this daily, by faith, with specific affirmations:
This is not imagination. This is obedient appropriation of what God has provided.
### 4) Enter the Harvest and Stay Alert
Fourth, we must move from passivity to active service and watchfulness.
“Lord of the harvest, send out laborers—and start with me.”
Spiritual awakening that does not lead to service and mission is incomplete.
### Proclamation
Make this confession aloud, deliberately, in the presence of God:
> I proclaim that I am not of the night nor of the darkness.
> I am a child of the light and a child of the day.
> Therefore I awake from spiritual sleep,
> I rise from among the dead,
> And Christ shines on me.
>
> I cast off the works of darkness
> And put on the armor of light.
> I refuse to be conformed to this present age;
> I am transformed by the renewing of my mind.
>
> I stand firm in the faith.
> I put on the whole armor of God.
> I resist the devil, and he flees from me.
> I redeem the time, for the days are evil.
>
> I answer the trumpet call in Zion.
> I return to the Lord with all my heart.
> I present myself to the Lord of the harvest as a willing worker.
>
> My eyes are lifted to the heavens.
> I live ready for the coming of the Son of Man.
> Jesus Christ is my eternal King,
> Seated far above all rule and authority.
> He reigns, and I reign with Him.
>
> This I proclaim in His mighty Name. Amen.
### Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
I hear Your call today to wake up.
I confess that in many ways I have slept,
I have tolerated darkness,
I have been dull and indifferent to Your purposes.
Forgive me, cleanse me, and wake me up by Your Spirit.
Shine Your light into every part of my life.
Expose what is hidden, uproot what is evil,
And establish Your truth in my heart.
I choose to cast off the works of darkness
And to put on the armor of light.
Teach me to stand firm in the faith,
To watch and pray,
To resist the devil,
And to redeem the time in these evil days.
Lord of the harvest, here I am. Send me.
Show me my place in Your harvest field.
Fill me with Your Holy Spirit,
And make me a bold, alert, and obedient servant.
I fix my eyes upon You, enthroned King of kings.
Keep me ready for Your return,
Walking in light, clothed in armor,
Awake to Your call.
In Your powerful Name, Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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