Sanding wood rather than using a chemical stripping agent

[IreneR]

If I'm willing to endure the mess and hassle of sanding down something wooden before repainting like doors or balusters is there a reason to use a chemical stripper instead?

Every DIY blog I see has you start off by stripping away the paint or finish with some sort of chemical compound. I don't mind sanding. Should I be doing things differently?