Acts26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: KJV
TWO MAJOR COMPETITORS- AMBITION VS VISION
In Church Growth school, my lecturer told us two things that always compete with every God-given vision and one of them is ambition. Here, we define ambition to mean what you desire to do while your God-given vision is God's desire and assignment for you. Ambition is always in constant battle with every God-given vision. There's no man that has received an assignment from God that didn't fight the battle of ambition. Paul boldly declared that he obeyed the heavenly vision he received. His focus was on his assignment and he silenced the voice of ambition.
Pastor E. A. Adeboye told the story of how he became a full time minister. He said that in his own days, being a Pastor was synonymous with poverty. He wanted to become one of the youngest vice chancellors. That was his ambition but God's vision for his life is totally different. His sisters told him he was not in his right senses because they were looking up to him as the glory of the family. He disappointed the spirit of ambition. Don't tell me it is easy to yield to that divine vision, it is not always easy. There is an inner struggle and battle that must be fought and won. That's the battle of ambition- what you desire.
Sometimes, people around us help fuel the embers of ambition. I remember someone telling me many years ago that my mates were in the UK doing masters. He was insinuating that I was wasting my time being in ministry. He told me that if I become a preacher, I'll be respected and popular but I won't be rich. At several points in my life, the idea of quitting ministry came so that I can pursue my inner most ambition but God didn't let me off the hook. The day you hear from God what your life assignment is, those things you had wanted to become would resurrect from nowhere to wage war against God's plan for your life. To overcome, just surrender to God's will and stay focused.
Father, I receive grace to conquer the battle of ambition In Jesus name.