In Psalm 18:3 David celebrated victory even though he no idea of how or when God’s promises would be fulfilled. Instead of praying to be king now, tomorrow, or next month at the latest—a timeline this young man probably preferred—David trusted that something good would come from God in His timing. David knew that faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11:3, NIV).

Psalm 18 shows us that David is battling his emotions. He used poetic language in verses 4 to 15 to describe his danger and added a desperate cry for help. However, by verse 16 he once again drew his weapon and spoke in amazement about God’s response, “He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.”

When David chose to praise God, he connected with his faith. His confidence didn’t come out of his own skills and strength, but by remembering who he was in God. “You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall” (verses 28-29). He continues with a long list of all the things that “God in him” made possible. By verse 35 David declared, “Your help has made me great.”

Throughout his Psalm diary, after David admitted his fear, he would often say, “But then I entered the sanctuary.” He used praise to get access to this place of refuge that filled him with peace, hope, and love—abiding faith in Almighty God. That sanctuary is there for us, too.

The Great I AM, the one from whom all faith originates, loves us, redeems us, and adopts us as His children and heirs. If we are in Christ, and Christ is in us, all of our circumstances are in God’s hands. As pastor, speaker, and author Graham Cooke likes to say, “When you feel overwhelmed by your circumstances, remember that your circumstances are overwhelmed by God.”

When darkness surrounds you, strike the match; it only takes a spark.

When temptations overwhelm you, enter the sanctuary with praise and access your faith.

When we develop the habit of praising God in any and all of the circumstances or emotions we experience, this tiny spark ignites a Holy Spirit fire of faith. And the chain reaction continues, each action triggering the next, so that we move forward into purposeful lives of faith, praying for God’s power to overcome evil as members of the Kingdom of God.