The Force played well in their first game of the season to beat the Waratahs in Sydney and, prior to last weekend's bye, they also scored a home win over the defending champions.
However, back home on Saturday night the Force didn't make the most of chances to score in the first half and were made to pay with the Highlanders working their way on top.
The visitors scored the only two tries, both in the second half, to John Hardie and Aaron Smith while Lima Sopoaga converted one, kicked two penalties and a drop goal before replacement Marty Banks nailed the other conversion.
The Highlanders are locked in a tantalising battle with the Chiefs for second position in the New Zealand conference and, following their win over the Force, they join the Chiefs on a 9-4 record.
As if perfectly planned, the Highlanders and Chiefs meet next Saturday at Rugby Park in Invercargill.
Meanwhile, the Force remain bottom of the Australian conference behind the Queensland Reds and with games to finish at home to the Reds and Brumbies, and away to the Rebels.
The Force had some chances deep in attack in the opening stages and the best of those went to Marcel Brache who knocked on while under pressure when all he had to do was get down.
The Highlanders got on top midway through the first half and it stayed that way.
They led 6-3 at half-time before the first try early in the second half courtesy of Hardie after a rolling maul.
A Sopoaga drop goal with eight minutes left put the Highlanders up 16-3 and then it became 23-3 following a converted try from halfback Smith.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph was proud of his team's effort on the way back from a tour of South Africa and ahead of their crucial clash with the Chiefs.
"It's a really good win for us and it was a really tough game. It was a really physical match and we respected the opposition, and I don't think the boys really understood how tough it was going to be until we got into the match," Joseph said.
"I guess when they had an opportunity to strike and put some pressure on us, we'd either steal a lineout or spoil it which for me was a big part of the winning of the game."
Force coach Michael Foley was proud of his team's defensive effort but was left to rue the missed chances in the first half.
"I thought we were incredibly good up front in terms of the attitude we played with," Foley said.
"We created opportunities and had a couple in their 22 in that first half and we just didn't take points out of it.
"That's the difference in the game, they just had a little bit more polish in terms of the things they did with the ball."
