Ambition

 

    Ambition is a strong desire that can be either godly or selfish.  It depends on the motivation.  Coffee is just a gift from God that helps you focus on ambition.  You put God and coffee together and you have a powerful force to get you going.  That is why I like starting my morning, especially this time of year, with a hot cup of coffee in one hand and the Bible in the other.

    Ambition in Hebrew is sheme'apatanut (שְׁאַפתָנוּת).  In Aramaic it is yomra which comes from the Latin word ambitiō which means to go around or about.  In Greek it is filodoxía (φιλοδοξία).  The English word Ambition originated from the Latin word ambīre.  It started being used in 1601 by Anthony Copley.  As you can see words change and evolve over time.  That is why makin sure you do not put the wrong word in when translating the Bible is so important.   It takes ambition to take that challenge on.

    When we follow the desires of the world we are following our sinful nature.  It always leads to sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, addiction, wild lifestyle, and other sinful strongholds.  Living apart from God only drives you further away from Him.  It is better to give Him your ambition to shape and help make happen in a way that honors Him.  Stop working for the flesh and start placing your ambitions toward the eternal.

    When you are being an ambassador for Jesus, there is no room for jealousy or rivalry.  Everyone's journey looks different.  Comparing will only destroy healthy ambition and lead to self-destructive behavior.  Instead, preach about Jesus with pure motives: love for Jesus.  Selfish ambition is not sincere and only make the chains of sin more painful.  No matter what though, Jesus' message will get through.  The Holy Spirit will help deliver the message that leads to deliverance.

    It is known that you are wise and understand God's ways by how you live: honorably, doing good works, and humble.  If you display bitter envy and jealousy, then your reveal the selfish ambition in your heart.  Don't try to cover the truth through boasting or lying.  Selfish ambition will never reveal God's wisdom.  It is of this world fed by unspiritual or demonic things.  Where you find selfish ambition, you find disorder and evil.  You will never find Jesus that way.  Godly ambition gives way to gentleness and wisdom.  It gives you purity, peace, mercy, and good fruit or righteousness without pretense.  

Galatians 5:19-21, Philippians 1:15-19, & James 3:13-18