“Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt””(Ex 13:17). God did not want the Israelites to face wars prematurely, because they were not yet ready for such situations. Similarly, God is gracious enough to lead us through ways that are not prone to battles, just to give us enough time to mature into readiness for satanic confrontations. Though the newly liberated Israelites encountered difficulties such as the impassable red sea before them (while Pharaoh and his army pursued them), and the bitter waters of Mara which they could not drink, God came to their rescue in each case, and turned impossible situations around.
    The initial dilemmas which Israel had faced en route to the promised land were intended to prepare them for greater challenges ahead. It is instructive that each time God intervened in their situation, it was an obvious response to Moses’ call for help. God wanted Israel, from the onset, to learn to rely on Him. The same thing goes for us today. God is able (without assuming responsibility for them) to use the difficulties which adverse circumstances throw at us to fine tune our focus on Him. Our walk with God begins with our focusing on Him as our only source, “for in Him we live and move and have our being,…” (Acts 17:28). This is why the Bible commands us to, “Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always” (Ps 105:4). There is no alternative if we desire to live victoriously. Accordingly, Hebrews 12:1-2(NLT) says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”
    It is important to understand the foregoing because there are giants in every man’s promised land. This forewarning is implied in the command which God had given the Israelites, as they were about to enter the promised land: ” ‘Rise, take your journey, and cross over the River Arnon. Look, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to possess it, and engage him in battle” (Deut 2:24). Note the following elements of the scriptural text above: “I HAVE GIVEN INTO YOUR HAND SIHON THE AMORITE, KING OF HESHBON, AND HIS LAND.” The first thing God wanted Israel to know was that the land they were about to enter was already theirs, as a gift from God. Similarly, God tells us that He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph 1:3), and also that, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2Pet 1:3). This divine claim leaves us today, as much as it did the Israelites then, with a choice—to believe or disbelieve God.
    As was the case with Israel then, we have enemies  (though invisible, subtle and more dangerous), who contest our inheritance in Christ with us. In the course of your possessing your “promised land”—whatever that represents to you—you will face bitter opposition from Satan and his demons. This is because every step you take in the direction that God leads you, will affect his kingdom negatively. Satan loses whenever you choose to do God’s will. Therefore, he and his demons will stir people and circumstances against you. This is why the Bible tells us that, “… we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). Satan and his demons are our real enemies.
    God reveals things to us in order to initiate faith in us, and thereby equip us with the only valid basis of victory in the battles of life. “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1Jn 5:4).
    Having told Israel what He had given them, God instructed them to “…BEGIN TO POSSESS IT, AND ENGAGE HIM (the enemy) IN BATTLE” (Deut 2:24) (emphasis mine). This is instructive because it implies God had empowered Israel to dispossess the occupants of the promised land. Divine revelation entitles and empowers us to enforce God’s will on the enemy. However, to possess in our experience what God has given us spiritually, requires that we engage Satan and his demons relentlessly in battle. That was why Paul the apostle encouraged Timothy his protégé to, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1Tim 6:12). However, Israel had to decide whether to obey that instruction or not. Our obedience to God is the proof that we believe Him, and if we are willing and obedient in this matter, we shall eat the good of the land (Isa 1:19). Shalom.