Shammah Temple Fellowship: Sermon of Sunday April 19, 2026
By Pastor Egide Nibitanga
Theme: What happens when we believe and obey God in terrifying wars
Reference scriptures: Joshua 10:1-28
The previous chapter showed us how Joshua and his people did a great mistake by associating themselves to a new people of Gibeon without even asking God. However, the story didn’t end there. They went back and asked God for forgiveness, and He heard from them and gave them direction to follow, even in the partnership he had struck with the people of Gibeon. God forgave them and showed Himself at the center of every move Joshua, his people, and the people of Gibeon were to make by fighting the 5 Amorite kings, who came to fight for them.
When we believe and obey God in terrifying wars,
1. He transforms our past mistakes into an opportunity to win
Logic would say, since Joshua and his people sinned against God, He would let them pay for their mistake in this new confrontation. However, God had forgiven them, he had taken note of what happened, but didn’t keep the grudges against them. God has a way of giving us a new fresh start, a new opportunity, as long as we come back to Him and apologize, repent.
Our past as Believers doesn’t define our future, our future is defined by our relationship with God.
2. He fights for them, even with tools and ways we weren’t expecting
Joshua, despite the fact that the Gibeon people had tricked them into their relationship, honored the engagement. He responded positively to their call for help. He faced the challenge as if that was against his own people, because he had promised so.
The war was fought and won, not by just Israelites bravery and techniques, but by God’s own strategies. Hail fell on their enemies and killed way more that those killed by Joshua’s army. God’s unusual armor came in the fight and defeated their enemy – without human military capabilities. God shows us that He can use even stones and trees to fight for us.
3. He changes all the known rules of the nature
Joshua commanded the sun and the moon to stand still. He didn’t look at the season at hand, but looked up to the God who created and powerfully commands His creations. Joshua prayed with command and all he said was exactly one the way he asked. It was so unusual such kind of prayer, but showed up and changed the nature’s rules to win for His own servants. The sun can stop, it can even disappear, the moon stood still… until the objective was reached and glory came back to its rightful owner – our Heavenly Father.
If your life is at chapter 9, with the reports of your sins and mistakes, believe God, obey Him and see Him bring you in a new chapter (10), when He fights and win deadly wars for you. Learn to trust Him and marvel at His signs and wonders.
