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Strong & Courageous Message 09 of 11
God Fights and Jesus Has Won
Pastor Anthony King· March 1, 2026
Joshua 10:1-23
A sermon on Joshua 10: God goes before His people as the divine Warrior, fighting their battles and giving the victory. It points to Jesus, who has already won the ultimate victory over sin, death and Satan through the cross and resurrection, so believers fight from victory, not for it.
“Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;”
Joshua 10:1
God moves powerfully when His people act in bold faith.
Faith takes God at His Word and moves quickly in obedience, just as David ran toward Goliath trusting the Lord, not his own strength.
Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hands. And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.1 Samuel 17:45-48
God is the warrior who goes before His people and fights for them, so they need not fear their enemies.
Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.Deuteronomy 3:22
God can even hold back creation to finish what He intends.
God uses hailstones from heaven to defeat more enemies than Israel’s swords.
The Lord of creation can command storms and nature to accomplish His saving purposes, as when Jesus calms the wind and the sea with a word.
The Bible calls this a day “when the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man,” showing that nothing is too hard for God when His people pray according to His purposes.
Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:Jeremiah 32:17
Every victory belongs to the Lord, even when His people swing the sword.
God not only gives the battle, but He puts the enemies under Israel’s feet.
Decisive victory and boots on the neck anticipates how God will put all enemies under the feet of Jesus and those who belong to Him.
For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.1 Corinthians 15:25-27
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.Romans 16:20
God shares His glory with no one. We boast only in the Lord who gives the increase, even when we labor faithfully.
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.1 Corinthians 3:6-7
Jesus is the greater Warrior who fights for us and secures our lasting victory.
Joshua’s long day points to the greater deliverance Jesus wins at the cross.
At the cross, darkness covers the land while Jesus bears sin, and through His death and resurrection He destroys the one who had the power of death.
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.Hebrews 2:14-15
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.Luke 23:44-46
We stand in battles that Jesus has already won. We fight from victory, not for victory.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.John 16:33
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.Romans 8:37
What battles are you trying to win in your own strength?
Pray bold, specific prayers that match God’s purposes.
Stop obsessing over outcomes that God has already settled in Jesus.
We have forgiveness, a future, and final victory. Just walk in obedience.
When you get anxious, choose praise instead of panic. God has gone before you.
1Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them; 2That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty. 3Wherefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. 5Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it. 6And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us. 7So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour. 8And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. 9Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. 10And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. 11And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. 12Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. 13And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. 14And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel. 15And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. 16But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. 17And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. 18And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them: 19And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand. 20And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities. 21And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. 22Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave. 23And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. Joshua 10:1-23
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