So GOD delivers Israel from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. And He does it miraculously - start to finish. Miracles are everywhere in this story. From the burning bush that get’s Moses’ attention, to the parted Red Sea that drowns Israel’s pursuers, God’s intervention and action on His people’s behalf is startlingly obvious and on display. There are miracles everywhere, a whole series of miracles that loosened Egypt’s grip on it’s workforce - plague after predicted plague slowly wearing them down until they wave their servants goodbye handing them gold and jewelry as they go. And it doesn’t end there. Even after God destroys Egypt’s army for good He continues to protect and provide for them in miraculous ways. There’s manna from heaven, there’s water from rocks, there’s drive-by quail, there’s divine GPS with a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire to guide them at night, there’s shoes and clothing miraculously not wearing out. I mean, literally, one moment Israel was suffering under the yoke of slavery in Egypt and the next they are watching God miraculously intervene in their lives on an almost daily basis. And then this happens. God shows them the land He’s promised them but it’s not empty…. what?! You mean the GOD who drowned an entire army, who brought water and food to them in the desert but he won’t clear the land He’s promised them of people? I mean after all they’ve seen they were probably wondering where the red carpet, all day spa treatment vouchers and piles of gold were. Surely God could fix that for them? Apparently not. Instead of intervening again God tells them they’re going to have to fight for this…. And here’s the sad part. Israel had gotten so used to being miraculously saved by God that they balked. They blanched. They freaked out. They said no way. No way man. We are not up to this… We aren’t warriors, and besides, we know for a fact that You can fix this. We’re not fighting. No way. And GOD’s response? Okay then. You don’t get to have what I’ve promised you. Your kids are going to get the promise. But you’re going to wander around in the desert - still getting miracles by the way - until every last one of you has died…. except the only two who were up for a fight.

I don’t know what it is you’ve been promised. I don’t know what your promised land is…but chances are your land is probably occupied, and they’re probably giants. And you’re going to have to fight for it. There will come a time when you’re going to have to fight. God has promised something to you, something He’s going to give to you. He’s promised it. He made the promise. But you’re still going to have to fight. In the life of faith there is no peaceful path. No matter how many miraculous interventions you’ve witnessed in your life. No matter how many ‘lucky breaks’ or ‘windfalls’ or ‘God-incidences’ you’ve observed, if you want what you believe GOD has promised you, you’re going to have to stand up and fight for it. This is the road of faith. You wont’ be fighting alone. God will back you up. God will support you. But you will be doing the fighting. So get your boots on soldier… you’re going to war.

1 Tim 6.12