The Lord Fights for You: Be Strong and Courageous

Devotional

Day 1: Stones at the Cave’s Mouth

The five kings scrambled into the cave at Makkedah, believing its shadows would hide them. Joshua ordered men to roll massive stones against the entrance, sealing their fate. While his army pursued fleeing enemies, the trapped kings waited in darkness. Their refuge became a prison. Joshua later returned to confront them, proving no enemy escapes God’s justice. [36:50]

God transforms hiding places into traps for the arrogant. These kings thought their power guaranteed safety, but Joshua’s obedience exposed their weakness. The stones declared: human strength fails, but God’s strategies prevail. Every enemy plot against His people becomes an opportunity for divine reversal.

What cave have you crawled into, trusting your own plans over God’s? Where are you hiding from battles He’s called you to fight? Identify one situation where you’ve substituted human strategy for divine reliance. How might rolling “stones” of surrender let God entrap what entangles you?

“Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave and post some men there to guard it. But don’t stop. Pursue your enemies and attack them from the rear.”
(Joshua 10:18-19, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal where you’ve trusted human refuge over His battle plan.
Challenge: Write down one situation you’ve tried to control. Physically place a stone on your desk as a surrender symbol.

Day 2: Hailstones from Heaven

As Israel’s swords clashed below, heaven’s artillery rained destruction. God hurled hailstones with precision, crushing more enemies than human hands. The sniper-hail spared Israelites while annihilating foes—a storm of holy discrimination. Even nature obeys His commands. [35:35]

God doesn’t need our methods to win wars. The hailstones proved His sovereignty over creation and conflict. While Israel fought, God worked beyond their sightlines. His interventions often come unexpectedly, dismantling threats we never perceived.

When has God resolved a struggle in ways you couldn’t engineer? This week, pause before reacting to a problem. Instead of strategizing, declare: “Fight for me, Jehovah Sabaoth.” What “hailstorm” might God unleash if you stopped limiting solutions to your imagination?

“The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel… More of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.”
(Joshua 10:10-11, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for three past victories where His “hailstorms” saved you.
Challenge: Share one of these stories with someone today.

Day 3: Feet on the Enemy’s Neck

Joshua dragged the five kings into daylight. “Put your feet on their necks,” he ordered. Sandals pressed into royal flesh as Israel’s commanders stood atop trembling foes. This visceral act declared: God reduces proud threats to footstools. [39:03]

Physical dominance symbolized spiritual reality. The neck—seat of pride and strength—crushed underfoot prefigured Christ’s triumph over Satan. Every enemy taunting you has already been humiliated at Calvary. Your stance isn’t desperation but enforced victory.

What “neck” still intimidates you—anxiety, addiction, a person’s influence? Speak its name aloud, then visualize Christ’s foot upon it. How might acknowledging Jesus’ present victory change your approach to this struggle today?

“Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”
(Joshua 10:25, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one fear aloud, then pray Psalm 110:1 over it.
Challenge: Text “He’s underfoot” to a friend battling the same issue.

Day 4: Sun Over Gibeon

Joshua shouted as daylight waned: “Sun, stand still!” The blazing orb halted mid-sky, stretching the battle’s hours. God bent time itself to secure His people’s triumph. No natural law limits the One who created time. [35:56]

The miracle wasn’t about Joshua’s authority but God’s faithfulness to His covenant. When we align requests with His promises, heaven responds. The stilled sun reminds us: no deadline pressures the Eternal.

What “expiring clock” stresses you—a financial due date, medical prognosis, or relational deadline? Bring it to the Commander who stops sundials. How might trusting His timelessness ease your urgency?

“The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.”
(Joshua 10:13, NIV)

Prayer: Pray for 5 minutes about a time-sensitive concern without mentioning time.
Challenge: Set a phone reminder at 3 PM to recall God’s control over clocks.

Day 5: Blood on the Pole

The executed kings hung on poles until sunset—a grisly billboard proclaiming sin’s wage. Centuries later, another King hung on wood, His blood not displaying judgment but absorbing it. Joshua’s poles foreshadowed Calvary’s cross. [48:48]

Holiness requires blood. The Canaanites died for rejecting God; Jesus died so rebels might live. Both scenes reveal God’s hatred of sin and relentless love for sinners. Your standing comes not from moral perfection but Christ’s substitution.

Where do you still try earning holiness through self-effort? Hold your hands open and whisper: “Only blood makes clean.” How does Jesus’ final “It is finished” (John 19:30) free you from proving your worth?

“Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
(Hebrews 9:22, NIV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus specifically for three sins His blood covered.
Challenge: Write “Washed” on your mirror with a dry-erase marker.

Sermon Summary

We gather around the account in Joshua 10 and claim together the clarity it brings about how God wins battles for his people. We watch five kings go from refuge to prison to tomb and see a visible proof that God executes justice and secures victory. We acknowledge that God commands his people to place their feet on the necks of those kings as a symbol that enemies who seek to draw us away from covenant faith meet final defeat. We confess that holiness matters, that persistent refusal to turn to God brings judgment, and that the blood of Jesus alone stands between our unholiness and God’s presence. We hold fast to the truth that the Lord fights for Israel, not by our cleverness or plans, but by his sovereign power, and that victory flows from his action on our behalf.

We resolve to resist our default impulse to take matters into our own hands. We admit how often we hurry past answered prayers and fail to sit in wonder at God’s providence. We commit to waiting on the Lord, leaning into his timing, and being strengthened by the Spirit to become more like Christ. We accept that God’s victories sometimes differ from our expectations; loss and sorrow may sit alongside his purposes for love, evangelism, and sanctification. We therefore choose courage over fear, not in ourselves, but in the God who has fought and will fight for us. We remember to pause and praise when God delivers, to recognize his providence in the rearview mirror of our lives, and to trust that every battle belongs ultimately to him.

Key Takeaways

1. God fights our battles for us We must stop treating every struggle as a personal project and start receiving God’s intervention as the decisive act. When God fights, outcomes align with his justice, mercy, and purposes in ways our plans cannot predict. Trusting his warfare calls us into dependence, prayer, and patience rather than frantic self-reliance. [50:58]
2. Do not be afraid or discouraged Courage arises when we remind ourselves that fear never finalizes God’s work. We resist despair by rehearsing God’s past deliverances and standing on his promise to act on our behalf. Courage here means trusting God’s strength, not mustering our own. [41:02]
3. Enemies become prison then tomb When what once promised safety becomes a grave, God displays the fate of persistent rebellion. That progression teaches the seriousness of unrepentant opposition and the certainty of divine judgment. We let that reality deepen gratitude for the covering of Christ’s blood. [39:43]
4. Victory may not match our expectations God’s wins sometimes arrive wrapped in loss, mystery, or sanctifying sorrow. We learn to see ultimate good even through outcomes that break our hearts, trusting his broader purposes for redemption and witness. This reorients our hope from immediate comfort to eternal fidelity. [59:17]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[32:52] - Opening Prayer and Confession
[33:36] - God Alone Is King
[34:05] - Background: Scenes in Joshua
[36:28] - Scene Three Begins
[38:41] - The Five Kings Revealed
[41:02] - Do Not Be Afraid
[42:23] - Identifying Our Real Enemies
[44:39] - Southern Campaign and Conquest
[57:51] - Be Strong and Courageous in God
[60:26] - Assurance of God’s Victory and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Joshua 10:16-27 (ESV)
16 These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17 And it was told to Joshua, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” 18 And Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and set men by it to guard them, 19 but do not stay there yourselves. Pursue your enemies; attack their rear guard. Do not let them enter their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand.” 20 When Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them with a great blow until they were wiped out, and when the remnant that remained of them had entered into the fortified cities, 21 then all the people returned safe to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. Not a man moved his tongue against any of the people of Israel. 22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me from the cave.” 23 And they did so, and brought those five kings out to him from the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. 24 And when they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings.” Then they came near and put their feet on their necks. 25 And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous, for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” 26 And afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees. And they hung on the trees until evening. 27 But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.

Observation questions

In Joshua 10:25, what specific command does Joshua give to the Israelites about their attitude in battle, and what reason does he give for this command?
What symbolic action do the Israelite leaders perform in verse 24, and what does this action represent about God’s relationship with His enemies?
According to the sermon, how did God intervene supernaturally earlier in Joshua 10 to secure Israel’s victory (see Joshua 10:11)? [35:35]
What final act does Joshua perform with the kings’ bodies in verses 26-27, and what does this teach about the fate of persistent rebellion against God?

Interpretation questions

Why do you think God instructed the Israelites to place their feet on the necks of the defeated kings (v. 24)? How does this imagery connect to broader biblical themes of victory over evil?
Joshua repeatedly emphasizes that the Lord “fights for Israel” (v. 25, 42). How does this truth challenge the human tendency toward self-reliance in facing struggles?
The sermon mentions that God’s victories may involve “loss, mystery, or sanctifying sorrow” rather than immediate comfort. [59:17] How does this reshape our understanding of what “success” looks like in God’s eyes?
The cave where the kings hid became first a prison, then a tomb (v. 27). What does this progression reveal about the ultimate futility of resisting God’s purposes?

Application questions

When facing a challenge, what practical steps could you take to shift from relying on your own plans to actively trusting God’s intervention? [53:11]
The sermon warns against rushing past answered prayers without pausing to reflect on God’s faithfulness. [43:49] What recent situation in your life deserves intentional gratitude, and how will you cultivate a habit of “sitting in wonder” at God’s work?
Joshua’s command to “be strong and courageous” (v. 25) is rooted in God’s strength, not human effort. Where do you feel tempted to “muster your own courage” instead of resting in His power? How might this look different?
The kings’ hiding place became their grave. Are there areas where you’ve sought “refuge” in something other than God (e.g., control, distraction, approval) that might actually trap you? How can you surrender these to Him?
The sermon highlights that enemies seek to pull us away from covenant faith. [42:23] What influences or habits in your life subtly erode your trust in God, and what specific action could you take to confront them?
God’s victories sometimes include hardship. [59:17] How can you prepare your heart to trust His purposes when outcomes don’t match your expectations?

Sermon Clips

We hear this and we're just kinda troubled by like, why would God have such anger and wrath towards these people? Because our God can't stand unfaithfulness. You see, our God is holy, which means he is set apart. He is different from the world. And he does not interact with those who are not holy. And so like wait a minute here. So God can't be with unholy people and you're looking at the person next to you and you're like well they're not holy and I'm not holy. And your answer is correct. Except for the blood of Jesus. [00:48:10] (38 seconds) #GraceThroughTheBlood

But do we think that God's gonna let us fall and falter? You think when trials are coming, when difficulties are gonna happen, when things are going in a way that's like, oh my gosh, we're in trouble here? You think he's gonna let it fall off the rail? Because he's not. He never has. Look past your life. Look past and look at all the ways God has moved in your life at just the right time to provide exactly what you need. And so what does he tell us? He says I am going to fight for you. Great. What do I do? Look at the sentence before this. Verse 25. Do not be afraid. Stop it. [00:57:18] (37 seconds) #HeWillFightForYou

So as the kings are laying down there, they are stepping on their necks. Kinda sounds a little morbid and a little bit odd and awkward to hear such a thing. God's enemies throughout scripture, however, are defeated by having their neck their necks stepped on. Remember, the head of the snake, though they don't have necks, were also stepped on. That was the promise that Jesus would do to the Satan and the evil one. He would step on the neck of Satan. [00:40:06] (36 seconds) #VictoryOverEvil

But I wanna stop and pause in that and be like, wait a minute. Look at what God has done. Because so often I forget that he's working and acting through his providential hand in my life, in my world. And I'm so consumed with myself that I miss it. He is going to make us victorious, and here's how I know. Because we just need to look in the rearview mirror for just a second and we can see it. [00:43:49] (29 seconds) #SeeGodsProvidence

And then he gives his holy spirit to come and dwell within us. Why? The holy spirit's purpose is to sanctify us, to set us apart, that we can be more and more and more holy. More and more and more like Jesus. That's the process. That's how it works. And these people had refused to follow the law. They had refused to follow God. And so the consequence of such refusal, of such disobedience, is no different today. The answer is death. [00:49:27] (36 seconds) #SanctifiedByTheSpirit

For those of you here today because your mother made you come, welcome. We're glad that you're here as well. If you're online, welcome. And hope you can join us someday soon here for an in person service as we reach out to you as well. Let's join together in prayer. Eternal father, we thank you for your word. Your word that changes everything. Lord, too often, we desire to be god. We desire to be the king. We desire to be lord. And you remind us that there is one god. There is one king, and there is one lord, and it is not us. [00:32:36] (40 seconds) #OneGodOneLord

And notice the encouragement that is provided here, and this is what I wanna draw you into today. This is one of those texts, ladies, that you you get printed somewhere and you put on your refrigerator or on your wall or some kinda whatever and and just listen to this language. Verse 25, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged, but rather be strong and courageous because this is what the Lord will do to the enemies you are going to fight. [00:40:42] (35 seconds) #DoNotBeAfraid

So God is absolutely victorious. It may not be the way we want, but he's absolutely victorious every time. And so the challenge for us is to not be afraid or not be discouraged, but be strong and courageous. Why? Because the Lord fights for you. He does his battle for you, and he's victorious every single time. I don't know what battles you're facing right now. I don't know what trials and struggles you're encountering, but you're not alone in it. And I promise a victory that is absolute and certain. And so therefore, be strong and courageous in the Lord. Would you join me in prayer? [00:59:56] (44 seconds) #TrustGodsVictory

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