Law of Attraction/Manifesting & Discipleship.

• What is The Law of Attraction/Manifesting? 

• What does it mean I do? How would I practice the law of attraction/manifesting?

• Is it right or is it wrong? And why?

• How should we think about it?

What is law of attraction and manifesting?

Law of Attraction / Manifesting is apart of the “High Thought” movement. Originated in 1806 by a man named Phineas Quimby. Who was a mesmerist. The name mesmerist was given to people in the early 1800’s who believe a power force flowed through all living things humans, animals, and vegetables. They believed that this force had healing powers, and effects on the world. Yet no success was found in any documents in the mesmerists movement. The doctrine that supported this movement pulled strands from various belief systems:  four Gospels; another is Emersonianism or New England transcendentalism; another is Berkeleyan idealism; another is spiritism, with its messages of "law" and "progress" and "development"; another the optimistic popular science evolutionism of which I have recently spoken; and, finally, Hinduism has contributed a strain.

So the Law of Attraction and Manifesting has its roots in this same belief system. 

First objection: Only human beings have power forces that are accessible. If we believe in Jesus, water baptized, and Filled with the Holy Spirit this power flows through us. Not everybody has this power.  

Second Objection: Law of Attraction / Manifesting is a network of beliefs from multiple sources. This is tricky because there are christian products/people that support the Law of Attraction and Manifesting. This is how they were connected. 

Simply put the law of attraction and manifesting is the belief/lifestyle that I have power/energy within me, and there is power/energy in the world. If I think right, act right, and work hard those energies and powers will align and I will get what I am trying to attract, or manifest. 

What does it mean I do? How would I practice the law of attraction/manifesting?

These steps and requirements are generally accurate. There are a lot of people talking about this and these seem to be the fundamental practices. 

The formula for how to use the Law of Attraction is simple:

1. Decide what you really want. 

2. Raise your frequency to match your desire.

3. Open up to the possibilities and believe in them fully.

4. Pretend you already have what you want–and enjoy the feeling!

5. Persistence is key.

Is it right or is it wrong?

It is wrong for the Jesus follower to bring any thought, ideal, doctrine, belief system, or approach to life outside of the Gospel. Here would be some of my quick observations from these steps and practices. 

“Decide what you really want” as a Jesus follower I am constantly asking myself what God’s will and wants are for my life. When I am freedom the ways of the world I am free to simply be with Him and Follow Him. He is the way, the truth, and the life. But I have noticed when there is sin and selfishness in my life I create distance between me and Him. I have to make up the distance by creating or believing in a power source that does not require obedience and surrender to Jesus Christ alone. 

“Raise your frequency to match your desire”. This speaks to the emotional connection using images, feelings, and attitudes that align with desires. The bigger the desire the greater your images, feelings, and attitudes need to be for it to “manifest.” This is using fantasy to escape my reality. When I attach my emotions and attitudes to something that is not real I create a false reality. This is very dangerous, and at time causes brain damage. Because I cannot lie to myself, my sub conscience knows the truth of who I am, what I have done, where I am, and why I am there. When I force myself to not believe those truths I begin to live a lie. 

“Open up to possibilities” This gives us a reason as to why our lives are the way they are. And how to address those “why’s” so we can change the pattern of our life. The problem with this is that we where we are because of our decisions and our beliefs. As Jesus followers we need to face our wrong decisions and beliefs as the reason why we are where we are. But this is difficult when we don’t think we can be wrong. For the believer fearlessness comes with righteousness, which is a gift from Jesus. We will be bold with our love, care, and affection when our beliefs and decisions come from a place to honor and glorify Jesus. 

“Pretend that you have what you want and enjoy the feeling” like fantasy this is not reality. This is the practice of fantasizing. It also assumes you control what you receive. This simply isn't true. What if you were trying to manifest children, but did not know that physically it was not true. We simply can’t pretend to have something we don’t, than feel good about it. For the Jesus follower we do not long for earthly riches and resources, but heavenly ones. 

How should we think about the Law of Attraction (LOA) / Manifesting?

1. It is a counterfeit gospel. The good news is that Jesus came to a dying, suffering world to save us. We were full of sin, bad decisions, wrong thinking, broken relationships, and hypocrisy. When we surrender our thought processes, decisions, and desires to Him then life unfolds in front of us. “Seek first the kingdom, and all these things will be added”. 

2. It is counterfeit spirituality. It tells us to be kind, loving, full of vision, care, and look for opportunities. But when we are filled with The Spirit all of these become our new nature because our old nature was buried with Christ, and we were raised to a new life in Christ when we obey Him. 

3. It is idolatry. LOA / manifesting puts my emotions, desires, will, wants, and life at the center. When for the Jesus follower it is supposed to be Jesus in the center and my whole life revolves around Him and His will, and His Purpose. Idolatry comes from the world idol when people would create images and live according to those images. That essentially is what LOA does. Decide what you want, live around it, look for it, connect to it emotionally, and keep doing it. 

Conclusions: 

1. For me to practice manifesting/ law of attraction I have to neglect my awareness of God, His sovereignty, and His involvement in every area of my life. 

2. I have to distance myself from His Presence, because in His Presence is everything I really need. 

3. To manifest something of my own desire, will, and want I have to believe that my way are higher than God’s ways, and my thoughts are higher than God’s thoughts. 

4. I have to assume that God is holding out on me, which is to assume that God is not good, and cannot/will not supply all of my needs according to His riches and glory. 

5. I cannot practice true contentment which brings true peace, joy, and strength. I would have to create within myself 2 different personalities. One that is content with where God wants me, and one that wants, desires, and needs things outside of what God wants for me. Both of those thoughts cannot come from the same person. It would be living a lie. 

So what would we do?

1. Remember who we were before we encountered the grace and love of Christ. 

2. Let worship and devotion become our new desire because of who He is. 

3. As our hearts soften look to opportunity to serve and care for those around us.