Usually every year, we see or know people (maybe we are one of them) who wants to start the new year afresh. A clean slate. New goals, new me, kind of idea.
Goal making by itself is not wrong. However, goal making becomes a problem when we use sinful methods (or have sinful reasons) to achieve our goals. I’ve talked in the past about vision boards, which included going over a Christian visionary, mantras, meditations, law of attraction, and the occult. Now, it might seem like a lot to jump from making healthy goals for the year to the occult. But I want you to be informed when it comes to making not only healthy choices, but godly ones.
A Biblical Christian “Visionary”:
- focuses on what God wants (which means using spiritual understanding, wisdom and having discernment of the knowledge of God and His will) See: God’s Will for You Today | Instructions for Life (Colossians 1:09-10)
- seeks direction in prayer (Phillippians 4:06)
- is willing to change direction as God’s ways are not man’s ways
- looks at goals with eternal purposes (2 Corinthians 4:18)
- reflects the fruit of the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace, self-control, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, and patience) (Matthew 7:20, Galatians 5:22-23)
- does nothing that benefits/serves self-gain but serves the Lord and the body of Christ (Phillippians 2:04)
- actions & plans are to edify, benefit, & encourage the church body giving glory to God (1 Corinthians 14:12)
Consider: Something as simple as wanting to eat healthier, etc. We need to make sure our reasons are not tied to vanity or pride, otherwise known as self-glory. For the Christian, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we are a living temple of God. We are not our own, but His.
When is Goal-Making or Visualizing What We Want to Do Ok & When isn’t It?
We could visualize:
- Preparing dinner, ingredients we might need
- Making a speech
- Things we need to remember
- Playback a memory – think things through
Vision boards are not like this. Vision boards have the intent of making things manifest in our life, not just with practical goal planning, but with additional practices that go against the Bible.
The moment we make visualization connected to spirituality, energy, manifesting, getting what we desire, or visualizing things in a way that dishonors God (vision board or not) – we have hit sinful territory.
What is a Vision Board?
A vision board (can, but NOT always):
- Include goals (I’m not against goals)
- Include practical ways to achieve that goal (I’m not against healthy goal practices/planning)
- Include mantras, mindfulness, inspirational pictures, quotes
- Include pictures to help visualize – which are used to focus on as ways to “will” and manifest what we want to happen – to think positively, to help positively charge the environment around us.
- Could be looked upon as one uses crystals, sage, objects to help purify the environment – vibrations – around us.
Problematic Wording/Practices In Vision Boards– Words associated with a vision board or words associated with those attracted to vision boards that Christians need to be concerned about:
- self-love | See: Got Questions: What Does The Bible Say About Self-Love
- manifest | See: Got Questions: What Does The Bible Say About The Power of Words?
- law of attraction | See: What Is Law of Attraction | Bite – Sized
- chakra | See: Got Questions: What Is Chakra
- spiritual-coach
- spirituality | See: Got Questions What Is The Difference Between Religion & Spirituality?
- centering | See: Got Questions: What Is Centering Prayer?
- concentrate (connection back to LOA/manifesting) | See: Got Questions: What Is Contemplative Prayer? , Contemplative Prayer/Spirituality | What You Need To Know About That “Still, Small Voice”
A vision board is self-focused on self-improvement. A vision board encourages the individual to manifest power within themselves and around their surroundings, in order to get what she wants. When visualization turns to trying to manifest and attract our desires, it has become sinful.
How Can Practices Like A Vision Board Be Occult-Like?
Not all practices or sinful ways of goal planning relate to the occult, but it is important you can identify what is occult related. The goal of the occult is to connect with spirits to gain something, usually insight. People can read into omens. Emptying the mind to be influenced by “good vibes” leaves you vulnerable for demonic attack and possibly possession.
Anyone who is using some form of means to obtain knowledge they do not already have through use of:
- connecting to spirits
- the spirit realm
- attracting new information
- doing rituals to obtain insight
- emptying the mind to be filled by knowledge of something else, etc
- this is all part of the occult.
Attracting help from spirits is part of the occult. Trying to gain power or knowledge through practices of purifying is occult-like. Vision boards often encourage participants to do certain rituals. Charge the “vibes.” Did you know that the origin of mantras come from the idea that a person’s words can make truth. This mindset ties back to manifesting and the law of attraction.
The idea to manifest what we want by manipulating, and changing the environment around us- this is the law of attraction. This is the main theme of a vision board, for many people. Spiritual magnetism to get what you want. LOA was promoted much by the book, The Secret. Marcia Montenegro has some resources on problems with LOA and the book, The Secret, if you would like to learn more on her site Christian Answers For The New Age (CANA).
- Marcia Montenegro (Christian Answers For The New Age) – Secret: A Cosmic Dream Machine
- Marcia Montenegro (Christian Answers For The New Age) – More On The Secret: Chicken Bones for the Hungry Soul
If you are interested in learning more check out the posts and links below. I tried to summarize my big posts, just so you can get an idea.
This post shares portions of the following posts:
- Vision Boards & What is a Christian Visionary? | Warning
- Vision Board Breakdown: Should Christians Ever Use One?
- What Is Law of Attraction | Bite – Sized
- What Is Divination & the Occult? | Bite-Sized
Other resources you might want to check out:
Inside Cup – Original Post On Vision Boards – Visionaries & Vision Boards: Warning To Christians
Inside Cup- How To Mediate On God’s Word (The Right Way) & Why It’s Important
Inside Cup – Law Of Attraction Works & I’ll Never Use It Again (Nastasia Grace)
Inside Cup- Should We Use Our Emotions As Truth? | What Is Emotionalism?
Inside Cup- Contemplative Prayer/Spirituality | What You Need To Know About That “Still, Small Voice”
Inside Cup- The Still Small Voice | Problems With People Speaking As “Jesus”
Inside Cup- Christian Mysticism | Are We Putting God In A Box?
Allen Parr (The Beat) – Christians Stop Manifesting What You Want
Alisa Childers – Law of Attraction & Hyper-Charismatic Movement w/ Melissa Dougherty
Berean Research – The Moment You Speak Something You Give Birth To It?
Doreen Virtue- Why Christians Should Avoid Vision Boards
Got Questions- What Does The Bible Say About Self-Love
Got Questions – What Does The Bible Say About Visualization?
Got Questions – What Is A Mantra?
Got Questions: What Is Centering Prayer?
Got Questions- What Is Chakra
Got Questions: What Is Contemplative Prayer?
Got Questions – What Is The Difference Between Religion & Spirituality?
Got Questions – What Is The Law of Attraction?
Longfortruth1 (YouTube Channel)- Christians And Vision Boards
Melissa Dougherty – Are Affirmations Biblical?
Melissa Dougherty – Why I Think The Law of Attraction is Garbage | Stop Calling It Christian
Melissa Dougherty- Why Law of Attraction, Oneness, Universalism, Mysticism, and Religious Pluralism aren’t Christian
Marcia Montenegro (Christian Answers For The New Age) – More On The Secret: Chicken Bones for the Hungry Soul
Marcia Montenegro (Christian Answers For The New Age) – New Thought: Making The Straight Ways Crooked – A Warning For Christians (Pg. 1)
Marcia Montenegro (Christian Answers For The New Age) – New Age: What Is It?
Marcia Montenegro (Christian Answers For The New Age) – Occult: Brief Explanations of Various Terms (Pg. 1), Occult: Brief Explanations of Various Terms (Pg. 2) – Use of objects, energy, and crystals is covered.
Marcia Montenegro (Christian Answers For The New Age) – Secret: A Cosmic Dream Machine
Marcia Montenegro (Christians Answers For The New Age) – Wayne Dyer: The Wisdom of New Spirituality
The Gospel Message– The Gospel message is good news, which means there’s bad news. We all are sinners and condemned. We all deserve the just punishment of God’s wrath. Christianity is unlike any other religion because we cannot earn our way into Heaven. God saw the weakness of man and his utter depravity. Yet, He showed us grace. Jesus, God, One Person of the Trinity, became God in the flesh, the God-Man. He was always perfect and sinless. And His humanity was perfected on the cross, living the full sinless life. He became our atonement sacrifice. Dying in our place, taking on the wrath of God upon Himself. He died on the cross, and He was resurrected because death could not hold Him. Jesus is the answer. We, as guilty sinners, need His blood to pay off our debt of sin. For all who put their faith in Him – meaning eyes are opened to the Gospel, we see ourselves as a sinner, we see the need for Christ, we desire our Savior, and we see the ugliness of our sin. Putting our faith in Jesus, we seek HIs forgiveness and repent from our sins, we turn away from our old way of life. We, through the work of the Holy Spirit, continue to become convicted of sin daily. Our eyes will never be the same again. We see things in a different light, and the truth of Christ affects how we live and serve Him. Christ tells us to count the cost. Salvation is a serious topic, it is not to be taken lightly. For a breakdown of this powerful message, understanding how Christ could be God and Man, why God required sacrifices, and more -please see: Why Did A Loving God Kill His Son? (Does God Hate?)
If you think you know the Gospel, check out these questions and see how prepared you are for the day someone might ask you why you believe: The Gospel Challenge (30 Question Quiz) – Are You Ready To Defend Your Faith?
Scripture To Meditate On –(ESV) Colossians 1:15-16 – For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
Community Prayer – January ‘23
Christian Topics/Series Covered
Personal Blog: Peeking Beneath
Second Blog: UnAshamed Christian Housewife
Godly Men & Women I Recommend: Link To List
Resources For False Teaching: Recommended Websites For False Teachers/Teaching
Video Playlist: Christian Questions, Topics, False Teachers, Insights
Video Playlist: New Christian Believer
Video Playlist: Understanding False Teachings
Video Playlist: Sermons To Grow From
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COMMENT RULES– Rules For Comments (Why Some May Not Appear)
Inside Cup 