In 1801 Lord Addington had led his party into power, and as the new prime minister, he had begun to form a new cabinet. Wilberforce was rumored to be among the candidates for a cabinet post, and it did not take long for him to become preoccupied with the possibility of the appointment. For days it grabbed at his conscious mind, forcing aside everything else. By his own admission he had risings of ambition, and it was crippling his soul. The next Sunday, however, Wilberforce went to church and worshipped almighty God, and there he found perspective.
Ambition is stunted.
It was only as Wilberforce worshipped God, and God alone, that he was able to see clearly the things of this world and hold in check the ambition that welled up in his spirit. Christ understood this truth as well. He refused to compromise, even for a moment, His allegiance to God, and the Son maintained His focus on His Father. All the kingdoms of the world were no match in His mind to the kingdom of God, and in His resistance to this third temptation our Lord chose to go the way of the cross in bringing about His kingdom to the earth. He overcame the devil.