Prophetic Voice to UK Business, David Shadbolt spoke at CTN Southwest on Friday 16th January 2026, once again bringing a timely message, this time on how King David triumphed during a time of great loss. This is an edited transcript of his talk that will encourage you immensely throughout 2026 or whenever challenges arise.
Hello, my name’s David Shadbolt. I’m based in Bromley, Southeast London. I’m married to Anna, who’s amazing and I run the School of Prophecy and The Timeless Wonder Foundation. It’s good to speak at CTN at the beginning of each year and share what’s been on my heart. Often as I share, I find there’s a resonance with many listeners.
However, I guess I should clarify upfront, I’m not one of those people who comes with a set “word for 2026,” in the way some prophetic voices do. Often that kind of thing isn’t actually that helpful. So instead, I’m going to share a couple of things that I believe will help us set a healthy trajectory for the year, and we’ll look at how that can impact our businesses as well. Firstly, let’s look at Artificial Intelligence and Christianity and then I want to talk to you about overcoming in 2026.
Harnessing AI for God’s Kingdom
We all know that technology, especially AI, is going to be even more disruptive this year. As Christians, how do we navigate that space? I don’t think we need to be prophetic to see that AI will impact many businesses significantly in 2026.
I feel the Holy Spirit is saying this: we should harness AI, but not embrace it. There’s a difference. Harnessing something for good, using it constructively, is not the same as embracing it uncritically.
People have wildly different opinions about AI. Some think it’s the devil’s tool, others think it’s the best innovation since sliced bread. As Christians, we should be aware of the issues, not bury our heads in the sand, but also not fearfully reject it. We should learn how to harness it for the Kingdom of God.
I’ve even spoken to people in Indonesia who became Christians through ChatGPT, and are now being discipled through it. There’s incredible growth happening though nothing beats real community and connection. A group of mainly under‑30 business people there decided to form a little community together, and the fruit has been remarkable.
Of course, it’s not just ChatGPT, there are other language models, but that’s the one most people are using right now and we must be aware of both the opportunities and the limitations. If we don’t engage with these technologies, our competitors likely will and we might lose influence. But what if we could be just a little ahead of the curve and use it not just for advantage in business, but to speak into ethics, purpose, and Kingdom priorities?
For example, in our charity we once had a part‑time role that cost us about a day a week’s salary. We couldn’t afford it anymore and now, AI does that work for us. I wake up, and it’s just there, ready to serve. So this shift is coming and it’s coming quickly. Just know this: God is in charge, and as we seek to use what’s before us wisely, especially in business, we can steward it with wisdom and prayer.
Ziklag and Restoration
What I really want to focus on, though, is something I keep coming back to, especially as I was praying about this session. It’s the story of David at Ziklag, found in 1 Samuel 30. This is a powerful story of someone who faced deep loss, how he processed that pain with God, and what came out of it. Let me start with a story that connects with this.
A few years ago, a friend of mine and business colleague, Ernie reached out and asked for prayer. His message was urgent: “Please pray for me.” As I prayed, I felt strongly to share a word with him from this very chapter – “Pursue, overtake and recover all.”
Later, he told me what had happened. His wife had suddenly left with no warning or explanation. She was just gone, and he didn’t know where she was. As I shared that scripture, he leaned into it. He took it seriously and followed the steps laid out in that chapter.
First, he created space for stillness. He encouraged himself in God and yes, he wept. But then he sought God’s guidance, just as David did in the passage.
As he prayed, he felt prompted to get in his car and just drive. As he drove, he looked up and saw what’s known as a ‘rainbow finger’ a weather phenomenon that looks like a vertical rainbow, almost like pillars of fire in the sky. He saw that as a sign from God.
He kept driving, moved from one town to the next, asking God where to go. At one point, he felt led to a car park. There, he found one of his adult sons sitting in a car.
“What are you doing here, Dad?” his son asked.
Ernie replied, “I’ve come to find Mum. Our marriage isn’t over.”
Then his wife turned up at the car park to meet their son. She wasn’t happy seeing Ernie but something shifted. Within a day, they were at a counselling centre and God restored their marriage in a truly miraculous way.
That’s the kind of restoration we see in 1 Samuel 30. David pursuing, overtaking and recovering all. And that’s the principle I believe God wants us to hold onto this year.
There may be moments when we lose things, whether in life, business or relationships. But when those moments come, I want to encourage you to return to this passage. Follow the steps David took and ideally, prepare your heart in advance.
Let’s look at 1 Samuel 30 together. The story begins with David and his men returning to Ziglag, only to find it had been raided and burned by the Amalekites. Their wives, sons and daughters had been taken captive. Nothing was left.
It says that David and his men wept until they had no strength left to weep. Some translations say they were exhausted from weeping. Just picture that level of emotional devastation.
And then, on top of that, the people began to turn on David. They talked of stoning him because they were so grieved. He was their leader and now they blamed him.
I can’t even imagine how I’d react in that situation. I’m not sure any of us can fully understand it unless we’ve been through something like that. But David does some remarkable things and I would like to share five principles we can learn from this passage.
1. Strengthen yourself in the Lord
In the middle of the chaos, 1 Samuel 30:6 says: “But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”
Learn how to strengthen yourself in the Lord before the crisis comes.Ask Him now: “Lord, teach me how to strengthen myself in You, no matter what.”
We all do it differently. Some find strength through worship, others through solitude, prayer, or community. The key is having that plan in place before trouble hits.
2. Seek specific direction from God.
After that, David did something else crucial: “David inquired of the Lord.”
David didn’t just react out of emotion — he paused and asked God a very specific question:
“Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”
And God answered: “Pursue them, for you will surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”
What I love is that David didn’t get a full road map. He didn’t know exactly how he’d recover everything but he had a word. That was enough to move forward.
3. Remember God’s promises to you
You may not get full clarity, but walk in the promise you’ve been given.
There are times in life and business when God gives you a promise — a word that’s clear in spirit, even if the details are missing. And in those moments, it’s not about having the full roadmap. It’s about having enough light for the next step.
That’s what happened to David at Ziglag. He inquired: “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”
God didn’t give David a GPS route. He gave him a promise: Pursue them. You will surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.” That word became a compass.
David didn’t wait until he knew where the Amalekites were. He got up and started moving in the direction of the promise not because he had clarity, but because he had confidence in what God had said.
And as he moved, guidance came. One step led to another. Nothing would have happened if David had waited for the full plan before acting.
This is critical for us today. In a business climate, where we crave certainty, God often invites us to trust instead. He says, “I’ve spoken. Now start walking.”
Maybe you’ve been holding onto a promise from years ago about your calling, your business, your family, or your ministry. You’ve been waiting for perfect conditions, or more clarity. But God is saying: “You may not know exactly how it will unfold. But you know what I said. So pursue. Trust Me. You will recover all.”
In 2026, don’t let uncertainty paralyze you. Let the promise propel you.
4. Kindness opens doors that strategy cannot.
As David and his men set out, they had no idea where the raiders had gone. But along the way, they found an Egyptian man in a field – weak, abandoned, starving.
What did they do? They showed him kindness. They fed him, gave him water – they didn’t interrogate him or use him for information immediately. They treated him with compassion.
And that act of kindness unlocked the next step in their journey. The man turned out to be a servant of the raiding party. He led them to the enemy’s camp
In moments of loss or confusion, don’t overlook the small things – compassion, generosity, and grace. These are Kingdom tools that lead to breakthrough.
5. Generosity is the final act of full restoration.
So David and his men pursued the Amalekites, guided by the Egyptian servant. They found the raiders, defeated them, and, just as God had promised, recovered everything. No one was lost.
But here’s what stands out to me even more: David didn’t just recover what belonged to him. He shared the plunder with the people who’d stayed behind, too exhausted to go on. And he sent gifts to elders in surrounding towns – people who had also suffered loss.
Even when others around him said, “These people didn’t fight, why should they receive anything?” David confronted that mindset. He said: “The share of the one who goes into battle will be the same as the one who stays with the supplies.” (v. 24)
That’s the Kingdom. David didn’t just fight for personal gain, he brought restoration to others who weren’t even with him in the battle.
Recover all and then give it away
That’s a leadership model I believe God wants us to walk in this year, especially in the business space. Think of those in your orbit: partners, clients, competitors, even people who’ve let you down. What does it look like to demonstrate the Kingdom through kindness, grace, and generosity – even to those who may not “deserve” it? Because that’s what David did.
So let me leave you with a summary of the journey:
- Weep if you need to. Be honest with your loss.
- Strengthen yourself in the Lord. Know your own best ways to reconnect with Him.
- Inquire of God. Ask for specific direction, not just general encouragement.
- Walk forward in faith. Even if you don’t have the full map.
- Show kindness along the way. It may unlock the next part of your journey.
- Lead with generosity. Especially toward those who couldn’t walk the whole way with you.
And above all, know this: God restores. He brings back what was lost. And when He does, it’s not just for you, it’s for those around you, too. Let’s make that our prayer for 2026.
About David Shadbolt
David Shadbolt is the founder of the School of Prophecy in the UK and the Timeless Wonder Foundation. He is also part of the wider leadership team across the five congregations of Hope Church in the borough of Bromley, Kent, UK. David is a speaker, entrepreneur, author and prophetic teacher in the marketplace and has authored books including ‘God’s Healing for Businesses’. He travels globally ministering into church and business contexts, helping people to discover the wonder of true spiritual communications and the myriad of ways God communicates to us – and then, through us, to others.
About the School of Prophecy
David founded the School of Prophecy to help people recognize and grow in the many ways God speaks, not just for personal encouragement, but to bless others with insight and clarity. Delivered over five interactive Zoom sessions, it’s accessible to anyone, whether they’re in a church that embraces the prophetic or not currently connected to one at all.
“We want to make prophecy accessible to everyone, helping people learn how to prophesy no matter what church they attend,” David explains. “The course combines practical exercises with community support, helping people develop confidence in hearing God’s voice and sharing it in a way that brings life and encouragement.”
About the Timeless Wonder Foundation
The Timeless Wonder Foundation is the broader charity David leads, aimed at helping people rediscover or encounter for the first time the awe and closeness of walking with God. It’s for those who may feel spiritually dry, disconnected, or unsure where they fit within church life. “It’s really about helping people to either reawaken to the wonder of God or even for the first time,” David shares. The foundation supports people across denominational lines, creating space for spiritual renewal, prophetic growth, and deeper intimacy with God through various creative and movement-based expressions like led by David’s wife, Anna
Also read Tap into the resources of Heaven, with David Shadbolt
