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So where do I get mine? My holy ambition, that is. Do they stock it at Wal-mart? Is it available online? A mail order catalog maybe?

We could ask Paul where he attained his from, couldn’t we? Sure we could. But then, most of us would make an assumption here that requires no interrogation. Where did Paul acquire his holy ambition? On the road to Damascus, right? Be cautious when you answer…

Remembering that ‘a holy ambition’ is defined by ‘wanting to really do something that God really wants done,’ how did Paul determine whether he would go to Rome or continue his ministry in Asia and Greece (Romans 15)? He wanted to do both, but for the time could accomplish only one. Hear his words as he conveyed his thoughts…

“And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; but as it is written, They who had no news of Him shall see, and they who have not heard shall understand. For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you (15:20-22).”

Did you catch it? He made his decision based on a prophecy written from Isaiah many, many years before. It appears his path was directed by the Word of God.

Paul was enabled and empowered through his encounter with the risen Lord on the Damascus road. It becomes evident though that Paul was also guided by the written Word.

Piper shares, “Where does your holy ambition come from? It comes from a personal encounter with the living Christ (not necessarily as dramatic as the Damascus road), shaped and informed and empowered by the written Word of God. As you meditate on the law of the Lord day and night (Psalm 1:2) — as you immerse yourself into God’s Word — He comes and takes some truth of that word and burns it into your heart until it becomes a holy ambition. If that hasn’t happened yet, saturate yourself with the Word of God and ask Him for it.”

Related articles

• Do You Have a Holy Ambition? (mtsweat.com)