Praise is the Highway

Bethel Music has a song called “Praise is the Highway.” I don’t think it’s any coincidence that this song is found on the album Victory.

The chorus says this:
Praise is the highway to the throne of God
Praise is the highway to the heart of God
Praise is the highway to the move of God

Sometimes we have to stop petitioning and start praising. God knows our requests and, if you’re anything like me, he’s probably heard them a hundred times. There is certainly a time and place to make our requests, and it’s biblical:

Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you.

Matthew 7:7 NIV

But praising is also a biblical way to reach a victory. Jehoshaphat praised his way to victory in 2 Chronicles 20.

Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

2 Chronicles 20:20-22 NIV

If you’ve been contending for a breakthrough, if you’ve been praying and fasting to no avail, if you’ve been obedient to everything God has asked you to do and still haven’t seen any fruit, maybe it’s time to praise. Maybe it’s time to thank God for what he’s already done and for what he’s about to do.

I’ve written before about spiritual warfare and some of the strategies that have helped me survive enemy attacks. All of those things are helpful, but when the battles are especially intense, I find praise and thankfulness are often the two most fruitful weapons of warfare.

Thankfulness expresses your gratitude to God, not only for what he’s done in the past, but for what he has yet to do in your life. We’ve all experienced victories and provision in our lives – thank God for them! We also know people who’ve experienced victories and provision in their lives – thank God that he can do the same for you! Testimony is the spirit of prophecy. Declare your thanks to God for the answered prayers that are yet to come. If you have been given prophetic words about the future, thank him for those even before they’re fulfilled!

At this I fell facedown at the angel’s feet to worship him, but he stopped me and said, “Don’t do this! For I am only a fellow servant with you and one of your brothers who clings to what Jesus testifies. Worship God. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Revelation 19:10 TPT

Praising is one of the most powerful things you can do. Sometimes you may not feel like you have a single thing to celebrate. Praise God anyway! Make your mouth say the words even when you don’t feel them. Your sacrifice of praise is very valuable to God, especially under challenging circumstances. Praise him when you’re afraid. Praise him when you’re discouraged. Praise him when you’re hopeless. Praise him when you’re weary. Praise him when you feel alone. Praise him when you aren’t seeing a single answered prayer but you’re choosing to trust that someday you will, despite how it looks.

Another song I love is Bryan & Katie Torwalt’s “Praise Before My Breakthrough,” which includes these words:
I’ll praise before my breakthrough
‘Til my song becomes my triumph
I will sing because I trust You

Praising God is powerful at all times, but it is even more powerful when it’s a sacrifice. Praise him regardless of how you feel. Feelings lie, but God is always worthy to be praised.

Your praises and even the words to these songs can prophesy the very victories you’re contending for. Declare God’s goodness even when life doesn’t feel good. Thank him for his provision when your bank account appears empty. Praise him for being a loving Father even when you feel unlovable and unloved by those around you.

Praise truly is the highway to victory, and thanking God for the deluge before you even see one drop of rain is one of the most powerful things you can do. Don’t expend all your energy fighting every little demon you cross paths with. Start praising God for everything he’s done, everything he’s doing, and everything he’s about to do! You just might look up and find you’ve gotten the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for.