1) Petra is a Christia… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:
1) Petra is a Christian Rock band formed in 1972 by Bob Hartman, Bill Glover, John DeGroff, and Greg Hough. "Petra" means "rock" in NT Greek, making the band name a triple pun. Rising from the Jesus music movement, and initially signed to [recordlabel]Myrrh Records[/recordlabel], they fought to gain acceptance and recognition in a church culture that at the time believed rock music to be off-limits. Over time they eventually won over most of their critics, thanks to a steady approach and some solid adult contemporary airplay hits like "The Coloring Song," outside of their usual rock fare. By the mid-80's, when lead singer Greg X. Volz left the band and was replaced by John Schlitt, Petra had solidified their place as the foremost Christian rock band in the industry with a string of hit albums and singles and strong touring. The release of Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out marked a turn towards modern-sounding worship music that would soon explode into the modern worship movement.
Petra was nominated for and won numerous Grammy and Dove Awards. In 1991, after the release of their acclaimed Beyond Belief record, Petra became the first rock band ever to win for Group of the Year at the Dove Awards. They were also the first Christian rock band to be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
For three decades Petra continued to produce albums despite changes in their line-up as well as the genre and market. On May 24th, 2005 Petra announced their retirement after 33 years of ministry. They recorded one of their final performances in Franklin, Tennessee to release it as their last album, Farewell. Their last performance finished in the early hours of January 1, 2006 in Murphy, North Carolina. Bob Hartman and John Schlitt continue to tour under the moniker II Guys From Petra.
Lineups through the years:
Early 80's Captured in Time & Space lineup: Bob Hartman, Greg X. Volz, John Slick, Mark Kelly, Louie Weaver, John Lawry
Late 80's "Beyond Belief dream team" lineup: Bob Hartman, John Schlitt, John Lawry, Louie Weaver, Ronny Cates
Late 90's Petra Praise 2 - We Need Jesus lineup: John Schlitt, Louie Weaver, Lonnie Chapin, Pete Orta, Kevin Brandow
Farewell CD lineup: John Schlitt, Bob Hartman, Greg Bailey, Paul Simmons, with special appearances by Greg X. Volz and John Lawry
More members: Rob Frazier, Jim Cooper, David Lichens, Trent Thomason, Bryce Bell, Quinton Gibson, Justin Johnson
See also http://www.petraband.com/
This Means War
Petra Lyrics
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You had so much going till you took the fall
Had a place in the glory but you wanted it all
Impossible odds but you had the gall
It seemed so unlikely that you would rebel
Such a worthy opponent that you knew so well
But you went down fighting when you heard the bell
Took a third down from heaven when you went to hell
This means war, and the battle's still raging
War - and thought both sides are waging
The Victor is sure and the victory secure
But till judgment we all must endure
This means war
Then came the cross, you thought you had won
You thought you had conquered God's only Son
"So much for Jesus", you said in jest
Then you got a visit from an unwelcome guest
Now it's all over down to the wire
Counting the days to your own lake of fire
But you'll go down fighting for all that you're worth
To try to abolish His image on earth
The song "This Means War!" by Petra is a Christian rock song that addresses the biblical story of Lucifer's rebellion against God and his eventual downfall. The lyrics refer to Lucifer as the "Son of the morning" and the highest of all, referencing his original position in heaven before being cast out. Petra acknowledges Lucifer's defiance and his desire for power, which led to his fall from grace. The lyrics suggest that even though Lucifer had the odds stacked against him, he still decided to fight against God.
The song emphasizes the ongoing battle between good and evil, with Petra introducing the concept of the war that persists even now. The lyrics make it clear that the outcome of the war has already been decided, with God being the victor. Petra emphasizes the need for believers to endure until judgment, recognizing that the war is still raging and evil powers are still fighting. The final verse of the song speaks of Lucifer's final stand, where Petra suggests he will go down fighting to the very end.
Line by Line Meaning
Son of the morning, highest of all
Referring to the devil, who was once an angel of light and had the highest place in Heaven.
You had so much going till you took the fall
The devil was in a position of great power and honor, until he chose to rebel against God and was cast out of Heaven.
Had a place in the glory but you wanted it all
Despite having a high status in Heaven, the devil was not content and wanted even more power and authority.
Impossible odds but you had the gall
The devil knew that he was going up against an unbeatable opponent, but he still had the audacity to try to take on God.
It seemed so unlikely that you would rebel
It was shocking that the devil would choose to go against God, knowing the consequences of such an action.
Such a worthy opponent that you knew so well
The devil knew that God was all-powerful and could not be defeated, yet he still decided to fight against Him.
But you went down fighting when you heard the bell
Even though the devil knew that he was going to lose, he still put up a fierce fight against God.
Took a third down from heaven when you went to hell
The devil was cast out of Heaven, along with a third of the angels who chose to follow him.
This means war, and the battle's still raging
The war between good and evil continues to this day, with spiritual battles being fought for the souls of humanity.
War - and though both sides are waging
Both God and the devil are engaged in a battle for the hearts and minds of people.
The Victor is sure and the victory secure
While the fight may still be ongoing, God has already won the battle over sin and death through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
But till judgment we all must endure
However, there is still a day of judgment to come for all people to account for their choices and actions.
This means war
The ongoing struggle between good and evil is a reality that we must acknowledge and engage in on a spiritual level.
Then came the cross, you thought you had won
At the crucifixion of Jesus, the devil thought that he had finally defeated God's plan of salvation for humanity.
You thought you had conquered God's only Son
The devil believed that he had succeeded in killing Jesus, which would have prevented the forgiveness of sins for everyone.
"So much for Jesus", you said in jest
The devil mocked the death of Jesus, thinking that it was a foolish and pointless sacrifice.
Then you got a visit from an unwelcome guest
After Jesus died, He descended into Hell to defeat the devil and reclaim the souls of those who had died before His resurrection.
Now it's all over down to the wire
The fight between good and evil is coming to a close, with the devil knowing that his time is running out.
Counting the days to your own lake of fire
The devil knows that his final destination is eternal punishment in Hell, where he will be forever separated from God and His goodness.
But you'll go down fighting for all that you're worth
Until the very end, the devil will continue to try to lead people away from God and towards destruction.
To try to abolish His image on earth
The devil's ultimate goal is to destroy the work of God on earth and to lead people away from the truth of His love and salvation.
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Samuel Singh
Son of the morning--highest of all
You had so much going till you took the fall
Had a place in the glory but you wanted it all
Impossible odds but you had the gall
It seemed so unlikely that you would rebel
Such a worthy opponent that you knew so well
But you went down fighting when you heard the bell
Took a third of all heaven when you went to hell
[Chorus]
This means war--and the battle's still raging
War--and though both sides are waging
The Victor is sure and the victory secure
But till judgement we all must endure
This Means War!
Then came the cross--you thought you had won
You thought you had conquered God's only Son
"So much for Jesus" you said in jest
Then you got a visit from an unwelcome guest
Now it's all over down to the wire
Counting the days to your own lake of fire
But you'll go down fighting for all that you're worth
To try to abolish His image on earth
He reigns
brian bailey
grew up on Petra in 80's. still rockin it! They are good Christians and there music makes me wanna pray. That's as good as it gets! Brian B
K. ZUNA
keith green murdered for speaking against rome,,,,,70-80's//////larry norman,,kicked out of churches,,,,concerts on farms only then found petra.....incredible,,,love the song angel of light ,and that album,,,great concerts in st louis,,then....
speaks loud to those desiring to follow true messiah...sorry,no caps keyboard issue
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Anyone listening this in 2019? ππ
GREAT SONG! I really like the energy in this one.
Robbi D'Angelo-SchΓ€che
Anthem for the last of the last days!!
Bryan Ritzel
2022 Still listening to it. Still a powerful classic!
Violet Bilodeau
2022
Kei Gn
2021!
next online
2020 Dec in the house - maranatha!!
Jeremy Ashley
The first Petra song I ever heard.Β I still love their music.Β Great sound without compromising lyrics.
Neil Olsen
Im an old metalhead from the 80's and 90's who got saved in 99' and a Christian nerd brother introduced me to this and I fell in love with it immediately! I love the irony that I used to make fun of Christian music too!