Who Told You Are Finished?

Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where? (1 Sam 25:10-11)

            More than once in my life I have heard the enemy shout so loud that I could not consider what God was saying. At such occasions like I said earlier, more than once, I had decided to quit the ministry. I began to meditate on men’s wickedness and what I termed, God’s unrighteousness. I could no longer see the glorious hope God has placed before me. I was shattered but thank God who understands, and so he managed to put me together.

The statement above was made by a fellow Israelite to popular servants of God. Yes, David was a popular man of God. Nobody did not hear in those days that a little shepherd boy had killed a giant called Goliath. It was published beyond the borders of Israel. There was no way Nabal could not have heard it. There was even a musical album to the story-

Saul has killed his thousands, David has killed his tens of thousands (1 Sam 18:7)

There was a time in Israel when the rumors of wars revolved around David. In those days it was reported that David led all military campaigns in Israel and returned victorious. Young men and women talked about David and wished for an opportunity to see him. His brothers bragged about him and parents name their children after him.

No doubt, Nabal was among those who enjoyed the tales of David’s exploits over bottles of beer. For this is what lazy fools do. They spend their time discussing the exploits of mighty men. Nabal knew David and his father’s house and his statement portrayed that.

But now something happened, David had problem with his boss which amounted to his leaving the palace to live in the bush around where Nabal had his ranch. As a good man he did not resort to robbery or any such thing. Instead, he used the strength with which he went to war to protect the weak.

As always the case few people, who held you in honor, wish to still respect you. Those who have held political offices will understand me better. Those who have walked as administrative heads in big companies, but are there no more will understand me too. It is unfortunate that people only respect you for what they think you are worth.

            As time went on Nabal and people around him began to carry negative rumor about David. They no longer call him a mighty soldier in Israel but a runaway servant. Those who carried gifts to him to the palace would not give him a cup of water.

There came this day when David’s own confession was brought into question. For he said, he had never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging food (Psalm 37:24). He needed food for himself but would not resort to stealing. Fortunately, for he thought, it was a festive season, and Nabal who had benefited most from his stay in the bush had much food to share. So, he sent his servants to go to Nabal to solicit help. The text is the kindest reply Nabal could manage at the time. Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? Nabal was not saying he did not know who David was; but he meant to say that David was finished.

David, the days when you were worth anything was over. God is through with you that’s why your ministry collapsed. God is through with you that is why your business failed. That is why your marriage scattered, that’s why you are in the wilderness, that’s why you are suffering now. David can’t you see you have no more hope? You are now history. You will never be able to recover from this fall, so why waste my food on a finished man? Why waste my meat and water on a man who will soon die?

I have heard this kind of remarks from people more than once, even senior pastors. Like David, I responded to their words with cursing and at times to the point of wanting to fight.

            David called his men out and matched out to prove to Nabal he may be lost in the bush, but he still was the warrior. He wanted to kill Nabal. He swore to God and called down curse on himself for choosing to be a good man. Thank God, who intervened by sending Abigail.

            Beloved, has the enemy announced to you that you are finished. Have you received a letter, or your wife insulted openly, or has your children been molested. Has men tried to tell you that you are finished?

WAIT A MINUTE! WHO IS TALKING?

Nabal! Who is Nabal? His name alone meant fool. Do you waste your time on the comments of a fool? Bible says that if you even respond to him you turn him to a wise man (Prov.       ). Nabal does not have eternal life. In fact, he died ten days after then. That is what an unbeliever is like. That is what a wicked man is like.

Not so the wicked; they are like chaff that the wind blows away.     

(Psalm 1:4)

 Your status as a believer is a great gift which can not be quantified. Yet Nabal mocks you as if he has got something now. But time proves it. He may be driving a big car now, but wait till time has tested him. He may be living in a big house now, but wait till time has tested him. He may be having a good job now, but wait till time has tested him. No Nabal has a future.

Nabal have you fought a war before? No, all he has done is to hang around a few sheep in a bush. How dare you then challenge David? David has killed a lion, David has killed a bear. David killed Goliath and has led many victorious military campaigns. Now he is in a low level and Nabal mocks him. All that Nabal has killed are goats and sheep.

Beloved, do you waste your time on him. For the sake of a negative comment from Nabal you begin to insult your God in the name of provocative prayers. How wrong you are? That’s why God ignored your challenge. That is why he ignored your seed of faith, that’s why he ignored your seven days of fasting prayers. It is because you are responding to Nabal, God said to Adam, you may be naked alright, but who told you?

Nabal do you have the Holy Spirit? No! He speaks from the influence of beer and excess meat. He does not have any revelation. Maybe he has gathered people around through witchcraft. But you know he does not have the Holy Spirit. You know what it means to be spirit filled. Nabal does not. Why waste your time on such a one. The bible says that the Holy Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing what is coming (2Cor 5:5).

The fact that you have the Holy Spirit is the evidence that God is not through with you. If God is not through with you, you are not finished. When he is through with you, you shall be like gold (Job 23:10).

Beloved, you are not finished. You maybe lying on the floor now, but you can speak like Micah.

Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. (Micah 7:8)

You can boast like Habakkuk

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.  Hab 3: 17-18

Nabal may talk but who is he that says anything and it comes to pass when God has not decreed it. (Lam 3:37).

You are not finished; you are going through a process. God is preparing you for the throne. Do not let a Nabal distract you or stain your hand with his worthless blood. Do not waste your time praying for Nabal’s head. Herod offered his daughter opportunity to get half his kingdom, but her mother encouraged her to ask for their enemies head. What would you do with Nabal’s head? Hold to the Lord. Keep walking with your God.

            God has not left you. God does not abandon his project. If God has started with you, he will lead you to the end. The God who helped David in his wrestle against lions and bears, will not abandon him. The God who helped David slay a giant with a mere stone will not let him die in this wilderness. You are going through a process; the purpose is to weaken you so that your total dependence is on God but not yourself.

Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. (2 Cor. 1:9)

Many of us started out in our strength. Moses started his ministry with his strength, but God took forty years to strip him of that strength. Why so long? God follows you as you would go. If Moses responded within two years, that’s okay. If he took ten years, that’s okay.

I pray that God will grant you grace to ignore Nabal and concentrate on what God is doing in your life.

Jump up on your feet and scream out,

I AM NOT FINISHED!