Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
Psalm 100:4

Praising God is an act of faith. And only by faith can you connect with Him and receive all of the good things He has for you. Sometimes it is easy to shout praises and sing with thankfulness, but often it is difficult to look past the battle and see the victory that God promises.

As the Israelites were building the temple, they stopped to praise and give thanks to God even as they laid the foundation. They did not wait until the project was finished, but stopped to praise even in the midst. When you are fighting for a breakthrough in your life, don’t wait to start praising God. When you are 10% healed, start praising Him. When you are waiting for that financial provision, enter His presence with thanksgiving. It is easy to praise Him when the battle is over, when the pain is gone, when the temple is finished, or when the giant is dead, but Hebrews 13:15 tells us to continually offer up our praise. Praise Him through the battle!

Praise invites God into your situation, and a thankful heart focuses on the promises of God over the battle in front of you. Faith brings His power, deliverance, blessing, favor, and shakes our circumstances until the chains fall off.

When we think that our goodness or righteousness will save us, we are misplacing our faith. You may think, I’ve done a lot of good deeds lately, so I have earned God’s love and faithfulness. Or perhaps you perform your good deeds with a sense of duty. But remember: you cannot earn the love, presence, or acceptance of God; His love is a free gift. Do not misplace your faith; He is the only one worthy of your praise!