So really the core of it was, what's in this for me? How do I get ahead? You can't trust God. It's all about me and my interests. That is the core of the fall. Now you understand that getting saved is not just about getting your sins forgiven and getting back to heaven. Getting saved is about changing the core of your being, from being a self-centred person, to being a love-centred person, where you can reflect what God is like. His kingdom is a kingdom of loving and serving, of advancing the interests of others. That's His kingdom - so selfish ambition always is a gateway for demonic spirits. Let's have a look in James, Chapter 3. So whenever people don't address this issue, they find themselves with all kinds of problems in their life, so you could be a Christian, still have havoc in your life as we've so often observed.
In James, Chapter 3, Verses 13 to 16; Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works that are done in meekness of wisdom. Now you notice here it is - but if you have bitter envy and self-seeking, self-centredness, selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast, don't lie against the truth. That does not come from heaven. It does not come from above. Rather the self-centred way of life, what's in it for me, it's all about me, what can I get, how can you get me here - it says it's earthly, it's sensual and it's demonic. Very simple. When you go down that route, no matter how nice it looks, it opens the door for demons - for where envy and self-seeking exists. Envy, that means we look what others have, and we want what others have. You have a look at the advertising, advertising works on that principle. You see other people are happy, the conclusion is if you want to be happy you buy that, and so we begin to want what others have. Then we begin to do things financially that create stress in our lives.
If we have a look at the world economic system, it's stressed out, because people out of envy, just ignored basic success principles in finances. You spend more than you've got coming in, then you're going to have some trouble. It just makes sense doesn't it really? Okay, notice here it says that confusion in every evil thing are there, so the fruit of selfish ambition is confusion in all kinds of activity, and the core of it is that I believe that I can rule my life better than God can, so I'm going to run it my way rather than run it God's way, see? Now have a think about for example in Genesis 13, Abraham and Lot. Now Abraham was told by God, see this whole land, I'm going to give you the whole land. Now did he have the whole land? No, he didn't, but God said I'm going to give it to you, so he had a word from God, had a promise from God. So he had his nephew Lot come along with him, and in the end they were so blessed and everyone was being blessed, then there come a quarrel between Lot's herdsmen and Abraham's herdsmen, because they'd been so blessed there was now conflict over resources.
So Abraham, notice how Abraham deals with it. He says let's have no conflict. Let's not have conflict. Conflict comes - in James it says - when you desire but don't have, and then you fight for it, so he said let's have no conflict. He's a man of peace, so he said here's what it is. Now listen to this. This shows you him operating in kingdom principle. He says see, you choose what you'd like and you can have that, and I'll have what's left. Lot, not understanding kingdom principles, looks down and what looks best to him he takes, that and ends up destroying his whole future. If he'd walked in the principles of honour, he'd say something like this; Abraham, that's very kind of you but I realise I'm blessed because of the blessing of God on you. I will defer, and let you make the choice, and show me what you'd like me to do.
In other words, he did not operate out of the kingdom, he just operated out of what's best for me, and it looked good but it cost him his marriage, his family. It cost him his character, cost him his finances, cost him his reputation, so the self-centred way of life looks good, seems right to a man, but ends up impoverished in various ways. Getting the idea? It's all quiet today, goodness me. [Laughs]