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Vision and Godly Ambition

December 11th, 2008

The people who have most powerfully and permanently influenced the world around them in their generation have been visionaries. They looked at society and they envisioned how it could be and should be, then they laboured to fulfill their dream. From Ghandi who dreamed of a free and united India to Martin Luther King who envisioned equal civil rights for all U.S. citizens to Jesus Christ who saw a lost world that needed to be saved, all were men of great drive and vision. Someone once said: "If you don't build sand castles in the air you won't build anything on the ground."

The man or women of leadership ability must have a burning ambition to see God's will done and His Kingdom expanded to the furthest corners of the globe. Of paramount importance too is that he or she is able to pass that vision on to those whom they lead.

• Prov 29:18 Without vision the people shall PERISH (K.J.V.) To keep man's hope alive he must have a dream for himself.
• Luke 4:14-21 At the very start of Jesus' ministry he made it clear to all around him that He HAD A VISION. He wanted to:

Preach good news to the poor.

Proclaim freedom for the prisoners.

Bring recovery of sight to the blind.

Release the oppressed.

Proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.

Then throughout His ministry he would constantly impart his vision of what the Kingdom of God would be like:

• It would start as a mustard seed in size and yet grow to be the biggest of trees.
• It would be regarded as a rare treasure or a pearl of great price.
• The most honoured people in it would be the greatest servants.
• It would be like a wedding banquet - a joyous celebration.
• It would be a place where everyone would be expected to use their talents.
• It would be like a net that caught all kinds of fish - there would be no discrimination.
• It would be a place where what's inside of a man would be much more important than any outward things.
• People in the Kingdom would not only try and unite with their enemies but even go so far as to love them.
• Mark 9:33-37 The Apostles argue as to who is the GREATEST among them. - Jesus' guys truly caught his vision and were very ambitious to be on the leading edge of taking the Kingdom to the whole world.
• Mark 10:35-45 The apostles were the type of people who want a place of honour in heaven (They were not interested in mediocrity).
• Luke 22:20-30 At the Lord's Supper they are still disputing as to who is the greatest !
  Note: Throughout His discipling of the Apostles Jesus never tried to stamp-out their ambition but only to redirect it to be more godly.
• Rom 15:20 It was Paul's AMBITION to preach where Christ was not known. - Paul was another man with tremendous godly ambition and vision.
• Acts 16:6-10 Paul was driven by a vision of people in Macedonia needing help.

Practical Challenges:

• Write down all the major things you want to have achieved by the end of your life.
• Write down what you envision doing and changing by the end of the year.
• Write down the things you want to have completed by the end of this month.
• Become a person who is super ambitious about doing great things for God.
• Inspire your disciples to have a dream for their lives.