Who Goes Before You?

"Understand this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee…" - Deut. 9:3.

Here's the situation. You're finally headed into the Promised Land. You've caught a glimpse of it. This land is fertile and large. There's plenty of space to settle into. You've seen the fruit of this land. It's rich and abundant. You've also been wandering around in your wilderness for way too long. You might have entered in, let's say…40 years ago, but because of unbelief, you've been led away into the opposite direction. God has definitely been with you, though. You've had a multitude of incidences and reminders that He has never left you. You've had specific signs of His Presence, and now that you're in sight of the Promised Land. There is a catch, though.

There are Canaanites on your promised land! Specifically, they are called Anakims. They are taller than you are. They are stronger than you are. They are financially stable. They've been on this land much longer than you have, so they know the land inside and out. It is now safe to assume that they didn't get the divine memo to vacate the premises. They don't know your God, and they don't have the faintest intent on leaving.

What happens now?

Do you see yourself in this kind of situation? The name of your land might not actually be called "Canaan," and you may not actually be considered an "Israelite," but you are a child of God, and He has made a promise to you. You are standing painfully close to your promise…close enough to see the enemy fully reclined and at ease on your possession. He's not by any means planning on giving up that inheritance that you've been promised. He's bigger, stronger, and he's lived longer than you have. Now, let me repeat my question. What happens now?

Let's go back to the passage because there are a few keys to your victory embedded in the verses of Deuteronomy 9. First of all, know this: God is fully aware of the enemy and how he has threatened you. He knows that the nations are "greater and mightier" than you are. He knows that the city of promise is presently "fenced up to heaven." (vs. 1) He knows the reputation that precedes the enemy. (vs. 2) God was fully aware of the circumstance when He gave you your promise. As important as these obstacles seem, they have nothing to do with what is about to happen.

There is a reason why God asks us to "walk by faith, and not by sight." (II Cor. 5:7) By sight, all you see is the threat in front of you. Your senses are inundated with the weight, height and appearance of the enemy. Your memory is full of vivid accounts of past defeats and apparent failures. According to all the evidences of feeling, the enemy isn't about to relinquish your land. Secondly, know this: "…that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them…" (Deut. 9:3) God goes over before you! By faith, all enemies before you will be subdued. Had the children of Israel actually seen God subdue enemies as large and powerful as the Anakims before? Probably not! But the secret to victory didn't lie in the size, height or the power of Israel or the enemy. Such is the danger of making decisions according to what you see instead of Who you know. As the word says: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." (Zech. 4:6)

God is the One that will subdue the enemy, and you will witness it. Deut. 9:3 says, "He shall bring them down before thy face…" All you will have to do is to "drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee." God will do all the tough stuff. You just follow and obey! Nothing is impossible for God. When God took on the responsibility of "bringing the enemy down," He took that burden out of your hands. Now there is no reason why the enemy cannot be driven out of the land. In addition, the phrase "before your face" implies that you will witness the mighty works of God's hands as you carry out His instructions.

Finally, remember this: In Deut. 9: 4-6, God warns us about taking His glory. Don't conclude that the victory was due to some sort of righteousness that you had. "Remember and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness…" Don't forget that you are here by grace. You are here and you have overcome because God is good, not you. God knows your enemies. God made you a promise. God will "bring down the enemy," and when He does, don't steal His glory. Now go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven…"

Further Study: Deuteronomy 8