FOUR DIFFERENT KINDS OF FINISHES

The first is Cut Off Early
Means they were taken out of leadership
Assassinations, killed in battle
Prophetically denounced, overthrown
Typical examples of those cut off early include

Abimelech, Samson, Absalom, Ahab
Josiah, John the Baptist and James
Some of these men where good leaders
But most of them were bad
Do you personally know people
Who have been cut off early? If you do
There is a tragic story that explains their finish

The second is Finished Poorly
Means they were going down hill
In the latter part of their lives
This might mean in term of personal relationship with God
Or in terms of competency…or both
Some who…are typical examples of finish poorly

Include Gideon, Eli, Saul and Solomon
In other words these guys were barely to crawl
Across the finish line either that
Or they were carried
This is what we want to avoid, gentlemen

The Third is Finished so-so
Mean they did not do what they could have done
Or should have done
They did not complete what God had for them to do
This might mean that there were some negative ramifications
From their past which lingered on even though

They were walking with God personally
At the end of their live some example of finishing so-so
Would be David, Jehosophat and Hezekiah
These were pretty good guys 

After all David was a man after God’s heart

The Fourth is Finished Well
Means that they were walking with God personally
At the end of their lives they were strong
In their faith and close to the Lord
Men who finished well Abraham, Job, Joseph
Joshua, Caleb, Samuel, Elijah, Jeremiah, Daniel
John, Paul and Peter this is where we want to be

Now here’s the big-time question
All of these leaders were gifted
And all had very impressive strength
So how come they all didn’t finish strong?
The answer is this 

They all didn’t finish strong
Because they didn’t survive
The ambushes…