CCYI GLOBAL : Ambition and Vision: Reconnecting to the Kingdom Perspective Part 1 by Kay Daniels

For years, I’ve reflected on the powerful relationship between ambition and vision in our journey toward success. This connection is particularly important for those who live by Kingdom principles because ambition and vision are deeply interdependent. To explore this, let us revisit the beginning of it all—the book of Genesis.

In Genesis 1:26, we see that God created man in His image and likeness. This creation was first spiritual in nature, designed for heaven but purposed for dominion on earth. To fulfill this earthly mission, God formed an “earth-suit” for the spirit-man in Genesis 2:7. The union of body and spirit created a living soul.

The Divine Design of the Soul

The living soul is remarkable in its design, possessing:

Imagination: The ability to connect with God’s mind, generating visions of glory and splendor.

Memory: The capacity to retain divine thoughts and eternal truths.

Intellect: The analytical power to process and understand heavenly insights.

Emotion: The ability to feel deeply and respond to processed thoughts.

Will: The freedom to decide and act upon divine ideas.

In the garden, the soul was perfectly aligned with God, hearing His majestic voice in the cool of the day. However, deception disrupted this harmony, and man lost his visionary capacity.

The Fall: From Vision to Ambition

When man fell, his vision shifted. What once envisioned glory now perceived nakedness and gloom. He no longer saw the Kingdom of God but became subject to the “dark places of the earth” (Psalm 74:20, KJV)—a habitation of cruelty.

To prevent man from eternalizing this fallen state, God removed him from the Garden of Eden and placed cherubim to guard the way to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:22–24). Outside the garden and disconnected from divine vision, man was left with only ambition—a relentless struggle to make sense of his purpose.

As Orison Swett Marden describes in Self-Motivation, ambition became the spur that drove humanity. Yet without vision, ambition is aimless. The Apostle Paul captures this struggle in 1 Corinthians 9:26:

"I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air."

This is the state of man without Kingdom vision: running without direction and fighting without purpose.

The Role of New Birth

Jesus addressed this need when He said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). New birth restores our capacity for vision. It reconnects us to the divine perspective, empowering ambition with purpose and direction.

When ambition is fueled by vision, we no longer run uncertainly or fight aimlessly. Instead, we move with assurance and clarity, guided by faith and aligned with Kingdom purpose.

Vision: The Power Behind True Ambition

If you are not born again, life becomes an experiment—an endless search for meaning. But when new birth intersects with ambition, vision is born. Ambition without vision leads to confusion and crisis, but ambition powered by vision brings clarity and fulfillment.

This is why Christ-centered ambition is essential. Through Him, we regain our ability to envision the Kingdom and align our lives with eternal purpose.