In 1998, while preparing to sing a large outdoor concert in Kuwait City, a report came to me that four Filipino Christians had been beheaded for their faith in Christ not far across the border. I was sad in my spirit, as were those in the gathering who also heard the news. But we went ahead with the concert. Then in the middle of an open time of worship, I sensed a strong prophetic spirit, and the Holy Spirt said to me: “I want to sing over my Church!” I stepped out in faith, and just began to sing these words spontaneously:
I will fight for you. I will fight for you. By the power of my spirit says the Lord.
I will fight for you. I will see you through. By the power of my spirit says the Lord.
We sang it over and over, and a tremendous spirit of victory came over the crowd of over 1,000 worshippers.
The next day I was told that I should go to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. I didn’t have a visa, but was told it shouldn’t be a problem. So a few days later I went, but the UAE authorities refused to let me in their country. After five hours of struggles with the immigration authorities I was miraculously granted a visa to enter the United Arab Emirates. But that was only the first step.
While going through customs, the officers opened up my two very large suitcases, which were literally filled to overflowing with my Christian CD’s. When the officer saw it, he started yelling at me, and security guards came rushing with their weapons drawn. With the memory of the Filipino martyrs fresh in mind, I really thought I might die before even getting out the customs door.
Suddenly a lady came to me, and looking at my smiling photograph on the back of the “Come Holy Spirit” CD, she asked me, “Is this you?” I didn’t know if I should admit it, but a boldness came upon me, and I said, “Yes, that’s me.”
She looked at me in the eye, and then spoke about five words in Arabic to the guards . Suddenly, they put down their weapons, and purposely looking away from me, motioned with their fingers as if to say, “Get out, get out.”
I zipped up the suitcases, and as I pulled them off the inspection table, I turned to say thanks to the women….but she was GONE. There had not been enough time for her to have disappeared from view, as the customs hall was very large. But I didn’t wait around, I rushed out the smoke-glass doors and into the arrival lounge. There, I saw 22 people who had been waiting for over six hours for me to come through the customs process…and it was after 2am, and they were still there. They shouted “Hallelujah” and had a thank-you praise meeting right there on the airport arrival sidewalk.
Later when I told my hosting pastor friend about what happened in customs, he said to me, “Steve, women don’t have that kind of authority here in this land. And they certainly don’t dress as you describe. Steve, I believe an angel delivered you!”
A few hours later, as I led a very great crowd of worshippers there in Dubai, I taught them the words to “I will Fight For You”. When I’d sung the lines a few times, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart: “Now I want to sing the verse over my church!”
And, sensing the strong prophetic anointing once again, I just stepped out and began to sing these words:
In the day of the battle you’ll be fearless.
In the midst of the storm You will prevail
As you lift up the mighty Name of Jesus
Know my Church, that You will never fail!
‘Cause I will Fight For You!....
This song has brought a lot of healing and strength to hurting lives, and I dedicate it to all those who are suffering persecution for their faith, particular to Christians in lands hostile to the Gospel of Christ..
There’s more to this story. A short time later, as I landed in the Philippines to do some concerts there, Muslim extremists began to blow up bombs in public places, even in some of the largest malls in the country. They also were kidnapping many people, even beheading some, including an American missionary. It seemed the whole country of the Philippines was being held ransom by these extreme radicals.
I was asked to sing at an Easter service for the Catholic Charismatic group “El Shaddai.” It was during a huge gathering of about one million people who camp out in a large park from Good Friday to Easter Sunday. At 5am just before the sun came up, I had the amazing experience of leading that enormous group in the song “I Will Fight For You”. As I did, hundreds of thousands of people lifted up lit candles, signifying the Light, Jesus, Who shines eternal and overcomes the darkness. As I led them, I noticed the tall TV towers with the cameras, and remembered that this event was being broadcast live throughout the nation of the Philippines, as well as being broadcast to millions more in dozens of countries throughout the world via satellite. The Lord reminded me of the blood that was spilled by those four Filipinos in the Middle East. And now as we sang, He showed me that He was strengthening not only one million worshippers gathered waiting for the sun to rise that Resurrection Sunday morning, but He was strengthening an entire nation, through the very prophetic song that was birthed by the Holy Spirit out of the death of those four Filipino martyrs in the Middle East, who loved not their lives, even unto death, for His Name’s sake. Shortly after this the bombings stopped and much of the insane violence in the Philippines subsided.
(note: This live Easter morning event in Manila, with one million candle-light worshippers singing “I Will Fight For You” is found on track 13 of Steve’s DVD, “Take Worship To The Nations”)
Video: I Will Fight For You – Steve Kuban (Testimony: Was shared in New York, USA)