Can Christians Manifest Their Lives?
- Vivian Bricker Contributing Writer
- Updated Dec 20, 2022
The practice of manifestation is the belief that you can manifest anything into your life if you believe in it enough. Manifesting has become extremely popular in the modern day, especially with a resurgence of New Age practices.
With the emphasis being placed upon manifestation in the present day, many Christians are wondering if they can manifest in their own personal lives. Is manifesting right? Is it wrong? In this article, we will be discussing if Christians can manifest their lives.
The Meaning of Manifestation
The Berkeley Well-Being Institute informs us, “The word ‘manifestation' means to create something or turn something from an idea into a reality. In psychology, manifestation generally means using our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs to bring something to our physical reality.”
As this definition tells us, manifestation is the practice of trying to create or manipulate something into reality. Manifestation can be done in a myriad of ways. Different views abound, yet some of the common forms of manifesting are trying to speak things into existence, writing desires in a journal, or speaking positive affirmations.
The practice of manifesting is supposed to be related to the law of attraction. There are 12 universal laws, and the law of attraction is one of these many laws.
The law of attraction can be defined as “a philosophy suggesting that positive thoughts bring positive results into a person's life, while negative thoughts bring negative outcomes. It is based on the belief that thoughts are a form of energy and that positive energy attracts success in all areas of life, including health, finances, and relationships.”
As described by Very Well Mind, the law of attraction teaches that if a person has positive thoughts, it will result in positive outcomes; however, it also teaches that if a person has negative thoughts, their thoughts will have negative outcomes.
What the Bible Says about Manifesting
Therefore, manifesting is the practice of trying to manipulate circumstances to be what we want them to be. While this practice sounds incredibly tempting to many individuals, it is not biblical. There is nothing in the Bible that tells us we can manifest “good things” into our lives.
Many people try to manifest financial success, romantic relationships, or a job promotion, yet manifesting cannot cause these things to happen. Even though we may try hard or really want something does not mean we will achieve it.
The process of manifesting turns us away from God. Instead of trusting God with the plans of the future, manifesting causes us to try to manipulate the future for our own wants and desires. Simply because we want or desire something or someone does not mean it is good for us. Rather than trying to manipulate our future through manifesting, we need to turn to God.
The Lord tells us, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9). God’s plan for us is far greater than anything we could try to achieve or control on our own.
While many things in the world can be desirable, it is not biblical to try to manifest these things into our lives. In fact, Christians should not practice manifestation nor endorse it. There is nothing biblical about manifestation.
As Christians, we should not try to practice manifestation in our lives. Since God is in ultimate control of our lives, we can trust Him to do what is best.
Even though manifesting can be tempting, we need to turn away from this practice. Following after our own desires will eventually lead to sin. Instead of following after our own selfish desires by trying to manifest our lives, we need to let God have control of our lives.
The Bible tells us, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11). While this specific verse was referring to the prophet Jeremiah, God does have special plans for each of our lives.
We might feel, at times, that everything is going wrong, and everything might be actually going wrong, but we still need to trust the Lord in the difficult seasons. Manifesting will not help us to achieve our goals — rather, it will just impair our relationship with God.
Only God can speak things into being. The Lord spoke literally everything into existence, as recorded in the Book of Genesis. With just a breath, the Lord created the heavens, the earth, and everything in it.
As human beings, we cannot speak things into being. We can work and achieve goals, yet ultimately, it is only by God’s will that we can do these things.
Trying to manifest and manipulate things to happen in our lives will only be going against God. The Lord is our Creator, and He loves us more than anyone else could. We know that we can trust Him with our future because He has proven Himself to be worthy.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” We can trust in the Lord because He knows what is best.
As the latter part of this passage tells us, we need to not lean on our own understanding. Through our own understanding, we start to believe that we can make “better” decisions for our lives, such as through manifesting. This same sin goes back to the original sin in the Garden of Eden.
In the Garden of Eden, Eve and Adam chose to eat from the forbidden fruit even though God had told them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
The Bible tells us, “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves” (Genesis 3:6-7).
As this passage tells us, Eve ate the fruit after she saw it was “pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom.” Similar to manifesting, individuals try to manifest things that are pleasing and desirable to them.
The original sin of Adam and Eve traces back to their desire to be their own “god.” Instead of submitting to God, Adam and Eve wanted to be their own “god.”
The serpent tempted Adam and Eve by saying, “‘You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil’” (Genesis 3:4-5).
The serpent tells Adam and Eve that they would be “like God” if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In the same way, those who practice manifesting are trying to be their own “god” by trying to manipulate and control events.
Why Does This Matter?
Thus, Christians cannot manifest their lives. Rather than trying to manifest things into your life, you need to trust God. As believers, we know that God knows what is best for us, and we can trust Him with our future.
If you have previously participated in manifesting, you can turn to God, repent, and tell God you trust Him with your life. As you go about your day, remember that you can trust God.
King David reminds us of this vital truth, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you” (Psalm 9:10).
For further reading:
Is Manifesting Our Lives for the Better Biblical?
Is the Power of Positive Thinking Biblical?
Should Christians Say ‘Everything Happens for a Reason’ for Any Reason?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Mirel Kipioro
