Is your Dream a Vision or a Selfish Ambition

"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions… envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God...’ (Gal 5:19-21).

The average person has a dream in life regardless of their age. These dreams are either visions or selfish ambitions. A vision is a God given purpose. The Almighty God, who is a God of purpose, creates every man for a purpose. He gives this purpose to individuals as a vision, a dream or a long term goal in life. One’s vision becomes his purpose and driving force in life. This God given vision does not have anything to do with self. On the contrary, a selfish ambition is a self given purpose that is rooted in pleasing one’s self and fulfilling the desires of the flesh, which are the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Paul the Apostle classifies selfish ambition under the works of the flesh and groups it together with sins like fornication, idolatry, drunkenness and murders. In the next verse he declares that, ‘those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.’ (Galatians 5:19-21).

Considering the origin of sin, one will realize that God created Lucifer with a purpose; he was an anointed cherub, an archangel in charge of music.  Instead of playing that role, Lucifer developed a selfish ambition to be like God, and rebelled against God and His purpose for him. It is important to note that, right before the fall of Lucifer, the statement that he made in his heart was, ‘I WILL ascend into heaven,  I WILL exalt my throne above the stars of God;  I WILL also sit on the mount of the congregation  On the farthest sides of the north;  I WILL ascend above the heights of the clouds,  I WILL be like the Most High’ (Isaiah 14:12-14). In his heart Lucifer said ‘I will’ for five consecutive times in the statement that lead to his fall. Clearly, self-centeredness (which leads to selfish ambition) was the origin of sin.  

Again in the Garden of Eden, it was the same spirit of self-centeredness and selfish ambition that lead to the fall of man.  God gave man dominion to rule over all His creation except that, he was not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:15,16). However, the devil was able to deceive man that when they eat of that tree they will ‘be like God, knowing good and evil’ (Gen 3:5). Even though God made man in His image and likeness, He clearly commanded man not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Man’s God given purpose was to have dominion; be fruitful, multiply, subdue the earth and replenish it (Gen 1:28). However, Satan gave man a selfish ambition outside the plan and timing of God. His words to Eve were, ‘you will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil’ (Gen 3:4-5). The sad reality is that Adam and Eve had already been made in the image and likeness of God before they obeyed the devil (Gen 1:26-28).

Today many have good dreams for their future but the truth is, a good dream may not necessarily be a God given dream. One of the best enticements of the devil is, giving the people of God a counterfeit dream or vision. These selfish ambitions that the devil gives to men are rooted in the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.

The food for thought today is, what is your motive for that dream you are pursuing in life? Do you desire to be a blessing or you are in it only to satisfy yourself and nobody else. It’s all about motives; Paul taught that ‘Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife…’ (Phil 1:15). As a follow up to this lesson, the next lesson is The Power of Love’.