I don't know about you, but I sure don't want ANY thing that's outside of God's will for me. Who am I to think I know better than Him and what's absolutely best for my life?
Unfortunately, that's not the case in this fast paced world where people are willing to do just about anything to get ahead. It's not wrong to want to be successful, and it's definitely not wrong to earn a profit for your work, to utilize your gifts to bless others, or to put a balanced focus on diligently growing your business.
But if you're a Christian, you have to ask yourself...Am I willing to usurp God's throne to sit on one of my own?
I know this may be an unpopular opinion, but I have to be bold as I share today. If you're reading this and you've done any of the things I'll mention in this post, please know that my intention is not to condemn you.
I have so much love and respect for so many of the women I've seen practice these techniques. I don't think their hearts are inherently bad or that they have any evil intentions doing what they do. In fact, I don't think they know or even understand why this is wrong...and "faithful are the wounds of a friend." (Proverbs 27:6) which is what's bringing me here today.
LOVE is not the affirmation of sin and We CAN NOT blur the lines between godliness and worldliness. God warns us about being lukewarm - He'd rather we be either hot or cold. But the lukewarm? He's going to spit them out of His mouth. With that...
Have you ever drank a glass of lukewarm water when you truly needed refreshment on a blistering hot day? It's unappealing at best. And that's what compromising our faith is like to God. I'd rather have Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" than, "Depart from me, I never knew you!" How about you?
So here's my plea to any Christian Business Coach or entrepreneur who's sharing or practicing manifesting, astrology, or anything of the like with their clients while claiming Christianity. Please, please, PLEASE repent of your sin and stop leading Christian women astray. There are SO many righteous ways to gain success in business. It doesn't need to come at the cost of comprising our faith.
BECAUSE MANIFESTING ISN'T BIBLICAL.
Here's why:
Manifesting is essentially the act of willing your own desires, wants, or needs, into reality. It's all about the power that comes through the individual and not through Christ. It's saying, "I know what's best for me and for my future and I'm going to make it happen."
When you manifest, you're saying, "I have the power to bend, shape, or even "attract"things within the universe to my will and bring it to pass. If I believe it enough, say it enough, meditate on it enough, fixate on it even, it will come to pass."
It's putting ourselves on the SAME level as God under the guise that we are created in His image and likeness, instead of humbling ourselves and submitting our lives to Him.
Jesus didn't even do that.
Philippians 2: 5-8 says, "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
Philippians 2: 12-13 goes on to say, "Therefore, my beloved,... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is GOD who works in you, both to will and to work for HIS good pleasure."
God makes it clear in scripture that HE takes care of His children and He provides for our needs- which he knows before we even ask for them. Yet He wants us to ask for them, He tells us to come to HIM for provision, to depend on Him for all we need. Not ourselves, the sun, the moon, the stars, not astrologers, horoscopes, or mediums.
He is our Creator, Abba Father, and a Holy, Righteous God who deserves to receive the thanks and glory.
We can confidently build our life and business based on the wisdom of Psalm 127 (paraphrased below):
Unless THE LORD builds the house, those who labor, labor in vain. It is vain to rise up early and stay up late, for the Lord gives to His beloved, even in their sleep.
Does this mean we don't work hard? Absolutely not. But we definitely don't need to strive for things and we are told it's vanity to do it on our own.
Philippians 4:19-20 also says, "And my God shall supply all your needs according to HIS riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be GLORY forever and ever. Amen." God gives us what He seems fit- and he blesses it richly. Anything outside of His will doesn't come with that blessing.
Can we gain things from any other means? Well, look at Jesus in the wilderness. Satan offered Him all the kingdoms of this world if he would bow down and worship him. As the "god of this world", he has the ability to also provide "good things", yet only temporarily and not without cost. Remember, he comes as an angel of light and he is always twisting truths in order to deceive.
Scripture, coupled with our very own life experience, proves that His will is always better than our own.
I can't tell you how many times I've thought I knew best in a situation only to have God work it out some other way- which was always BETTER than it would have been if I had planned it. The path isn't always easy, it's not always fun, and it doesn't always come without hardship and lessons that had to be learned. But it's the sanctification process He continues to work in me (and you). And I end up praising Him for it every single time.
I remember literally walking through some of the most difficult spiritual warfare and being emotionally poured out and spent, clinging to Jesus every step of the way. I depended on Him so much to sustain me and grew so close to God, I couldn't go a second without Him. He was the very breath I'd breathe or I just couldn't make it through my day. And as crippling or exhausting as it felt at times to walk the road God had for me, I found myself THANKING HIM for it...WILLINGLY...one morning at my kitchen table. Without that trial, without those lessons, I wouldn't have gotten to see Him work the way He did and I wouldn't have felt that incredibly deep connection to Him. There's nothing else like it in this entire world.
If you "self-will" something out of sheer persistence for what you believe is best, you could actually be self-willing hardships or delaying blessings in your life. Why? Because your best may not actually be God's best for you.
New age practices are so SELF focused - based on the premise that individuals, not God, have the power to make things happen, instead of fully depending on Him.
They claim they can use pure will, psychic force, or energy work to bring these things to pass.
This behavior is warned about in scripture over and over again.
WHERE THE LINES GET BLURRED
We're seeing so many of these practices being introduced and blended into Christianity, and I'm seeing it so much in the coaching industry and from other entrepreneurs. We think we need to do these things in order to be successful, or if it works for others, why not try that for ourself?
Even the Psalmist struggled with witnessing the wicked prosper through ungodly means and wrote about his personal temptation of wanting to join in with them in this ease in Psalm 73. He almost did- until he came into the presence of the Lord and it was then that he understood their end. You see, those without the Lord work for the here and now, we are holding fast to victory now and throughout eternity.
The truth is, these things may work- but whose power are you tapping into for it? It's certainly not God's and it lacks His blessing. Are you willing to take that risk?
We can see some of the slimy ways that Satan works as we look at how he twists Psalm 23:7 regarding mindset..."whatsoever a man thinks in his heart, so is he." Yes, what you believe makes you who you are. But you have to seek the correct source from where to gain those beliefs from. And as Christians, that's from Scripture.
New age practices teach you to believe (fill in the blank "truth") and it will come to pass or that you have to "believe you are the authority" in order for others to believe it and buy from you. Well, yes and no.
You can know and believe that God has gifted you with certain abilities and trust that He's called you to your path. You can walk in that confidence knowing He is equipping you to share that gift, with authority, because of your life experience. But you don't have to force yourself to will something into existence and say it a million times to make it real.
This is a perfect example of how the enemy twists God's word and bends it to his will. We have to be aware of his tactics, warn others, and stay away.
Here's another example of trusting God's power and authority in your life:
2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "God's strength is made PERFECT in our weakness."
So where you may be trying to fill in those gaps where you feel lacking, less than, or wanting to get ahead with manifesting, energy work, astrology, or self-willing something into existence, you're actually going to the wrong source. Paul continues to say, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me".
Manifestation also goes against Proverbs 3:5-6 that says, "Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will make your path straight."
When we manifest, we end up leaning on ourselves and our own understanding, and we do not acknowledge God or His path for us. More specifically, manifestation puts our timing over God’s timing, puts the things we want above God, and finally, it makes the “manifester” god.
YOU ARE SET APART & DEEPLY LOVED BY GOD
I think one of the BIGGEST weaknesses we face as Christians is that we don't completely understand the power of our TRUE IDENTITY. When we are saved by grace, through faith, we become grafted in as sons and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, a mighty God whose beloved Son paid for our sins by taking on the cross as punishment in our place. We are treasured by God, set apart as His people. NO ONE can pluck us out of His hand (John 10:27-29). Why wouldn't we then trust Him for all things?
Ephesians 2:10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
God is the one who created you with gifts and talents, and even specific works HE PREPARED BEFOREHAND for you to walk in. You are fearfully and wonderfully made, knit together in your mother's womb (Psalm 139). If He cares for the sparrow, how much more will he care for you? (Matthew 6:26)
You don't need the stars to tell you who you are. You don't need an Enneagram number to understand why you behave the way you do. Horoscopes may sound fun, but they are chance and speculation at best and scripture WARNS us from consulting with them.
All creation has a purpose. Genesis 1:14 explains what the stars were created for. "The stars are for signs and for seasons, and for days and years" and God warns us not to consult with them.
Deuteronomy 4:19, "And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven."
Isaiah 47:13-14, "You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you. Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before!"
Isaiah 8:19, "And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?"
1 Chronicles 10:13-14, "So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from the Lord."
James 1:5 encourages us saying, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."
While you may "fit under some numerical or astrological category", it completely denotes the uniqueness and true authenticity of your character that no number can confine and no star can predict. And the enemy would LOVE to denote the beauty that was given to you through God in your creation.
The enemy has been trying to crush our identity since the garden and take the place of God and His authority, which is what got him cast out of Heaven to begin with. We know his end. Let's not give the enemy authority in our lives to rob us of our freedom in Christ and the truth of who we are in Him today.
Want to solidify your identity and stand on truths from Scripture? Download your Free Copy of our "Rooted In Christ Scriptures", Here!
WE ARE NOT EQUAL WITH GOD
"Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness." Psalm 115:1.
Though we are creative beings and we are made in His image and likeness, WE CAN NOT CREATE SOMETHING FROM NOTHING THAT HASN'T ALREADY COME FROM SOMETHING CREATED BY GOD. And we can't usurp His Will.
I think back to the story in Mark 4:35-31 of Jesus and the disciples crossing the sea of Galilee. A fierce storm struck and high winds beat down on the boat, filling it with water. The disciples, many being fishermen and familiar with storms at sea, did all they physically could to sustain themselves, with no avail. They could not continue without help and they certainly couldn't calm the sea. So they went to Jesus and woke Him with an accusation.
"Don't you care that we are perishing?" Immediately, He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” Mark 4:38-40.
The point? God is in control, not us. And He wants us to have faith in that.
When we trust that He is with us through even the most difficult storms of life, we can know, without a shadow of a doubt, that He is able to sustain us, deliver us, and guide us in His Sovereign Will.
Scripture says God created the heavens and the earth, man, and all that is in it (Genesis 1). He placed the stars in the sky and knows each by name (Psalm 147:4).
Heaven is God's throne and the earth is His footstool. (Isaiah 66:1)
And when Job questioned God, God's response was, "Where were YOU when I created the heavens and the earth?!" (Job 38:4)
There are SO many more scriptures that spotlight God's sovereignty and the responsibility of man. When we truly understand God's character and trust in His Sovereignty, we understand that though we are genuinely and fiercely loved, we are not the ones in control. That can be a hard pill to swallow for those of us with Type A personalities! But I promise you, there is no better way.
Let's take a lesson from the story of Elijah.
The prophets of Baal cried out, chanting to their gods over and over again, self-willing fire to come from heaven, cutting themselves, and in some instances, even sacrificing children to "please" their gods. This was a test to prove the true source of sovereignty and authority - yet nothing came from it.
Then it's Elijah's turn. He didn't have to seek the one true God over and over again or do anything crazy to get His attention. In fact, he poured water on the wood to stop it from happening any other way other than from the Lord. Then he prayed a simple prayer with a genuine heart, and God showed up and answered.
Elijah showed us we need only seek the Lord.
We don't need to follow the demonic practices of the world, no matter what kind of spin is put on it. We don't need to blur the lines between faith and sin just to get ahead.
Lastly, there are things happening behind the scenes that you can not manifest your way out of. Think of Job and all he had to go through. Understanding there is a will and purpose for your life that you can't always see clearly at the moment will give you perserverence to keep on pushing through.
A line that stands out so strong to me in scripture is, "Have you considered my servant, Job?" Read his account, see the purpose from behind the scenes, and understand that there are events occurring in your life that are meant to test and try you, teach and train.
PRAYER & FASTING vs. MANIFESTING
One of the most powerful ways you can turn to God for help, guidance, direction for both big and small needs is through prayer and fasting. It's petitioning the throne of Heaven, being active, not passive, in your situation.
When you pray and fast you...
Come before the Lord with open hands, in submission and dependence on God
Worship Him and give Him praise and thanksgiving
Set time aside to connect & communicate on a deeper, more intimate, level with the Father.
Humbly share your needs, seek God's divine intercession, but ultimately exchange your will for His, knowing your prayers may not get answered the way you think they should or within your time frame.
Separate yourself from your own desires in order to draw near to God
Deny your flesh, in exchange for being filled with Him
Seek God's wisdom, help, fellowship, and intercession
Share your big (and small) needs
Learn to trust God fully.
Manifesting is the complete opposite.
Manifestation is about self-sufficiency, believing the you know best, seeking your will & desires, above God's. It's based on the premise that individuals have the power to will things to happen, essentially taking the place of God, Himself. It is not a conversation with God. Instead, you're speaking/journaling declarations asserting your authority to take hold of what you want. When a person manifests, they are seeking to get what they want in their own timing.
Prayer and Manifesting are not interchangeable; they are very different.
So what if you're someone who doesn't look at it this way? You're not taking it to the level of assuming the role of God, you're simply wanting to focus on positive things? Manifesting, astrology, or anything of the like can not be anchored in morality, good character, and integrity when you consider all of these other factors and the warnings God gives in scripture concerning them.
But you CAN do something. Our walk with God is not one of passive faith.
YOU ARE CALLED TO ACT
Sister, you're called to ACT! So let's talk about work, work ethic, goal setting, and visualization as a Christian.
I want you to know that I don't disagree with the benefits of working toward goals and thinking positive thoughts. At the end of the day, it comes back to being willing to say, "Not my will, but Thy Will, be done" and submitting the end result to Him.
Work is not a punishment nor is it the product of sin. Working hard is something to take pride in and get EXCITED over it- especially as an entrepreneur. This is why I LOVE working with small business owners. You started your business because you're passionate about a cause, you're personally invested, and you feel called by God to use your gifts to create impact. Basically, you're not just building someone else's dreams - you're working to serve the Lord and you LOVE what you have to share! Work can be FUN & JOYFUL- even though there definitely are some growing pains and tedious parts we each face!
So understanding that work isn't the product of sin, but a major facet of God’s original plan for human life in the world is essential. Work was part of what God said was “very good” (Genesis 1:31) and it wasn’t until after the fall that it became difficult- and we've been struggling with it ever since.
Colossians 3:23-25 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
As believers, it is so important to remember who we belong to and who we serve
(1 Corinthians 6:20). God has redeemed us and given us much more than we deserve, so we are called to serve Him with joy and diligence in the tasks that He has set before us.
Having a good work ethic can be a beautiful testimony of God's love for those around us (Matthew 5:16). We work and serve out of a heart of love for Him because He loved us first (1 John 4:19) and called us according to His purpose (Romans 8:28) . We can display godly character and go above and beyond through examples laid out for us in scripture. We can bring glory and honor to the Lord by doing our jobs well. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says in regards to work, "Whatever your hands find to do, do well."
Although working hard for the Lord is a good thing, as a small business owner I know the struggles that come alongside that work- especially in my field, in this culture, and across social media. We are living in a day and age when it's essentially "easy"for just about anyone to start an online business, but the competition or those with similar aspirations, can be many and the skill of setting yourself apart and scaling to make showing up doable needs to be mastered.
HERE'S YOUR ACTION PLAN
So how do you stand out? Get ahead? Become successful in a world full of various ways to get there? Trust God to be the Source and Supplier of all you need to get there.
First, repent of any times you may have tried to self-will something into existence. For doing things in your own will, and for not partnering with Him. Wipe the slate clean and start fresh with the Lord.
Pray over your business and create vision for your brand and offers (Habakkuk 2:2)
Consider Setting goals God's Way! I've found that so many of us struggle with healthy boundaries and planning effective, God honoring plans to accomplish tasks in a way that avoids burnout. I love to follow Nehemiah's example as he mapped out and prepared his plan to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. Applying simple strategies can help you accomplish big tasks too - without compromising your faith or your convictions to get you there!
Identify your specific gifts, what sets you apart, and use that to spotlight your unique selling proposition in your business. I've got a great podcast episode to help you with that, HERE!
Lean into who God made you, your voice, the way you present and share things. Don't try and sound like everyone else. Tap into your unique creativeness and do the work it takes to figure out how to share your message different.
Optimize your offers based on your clients needs and their desired solutions. Show up to truly serve the people God has for you to work with.
Don't take on just any client. While your heart may be to serve the masses, understand that sometimes you and another person may not be the right fit. Nehemiah had to be super selective about who he worked with in order to be able to accomplish his goals and not be swerved from the vision and call God had for him. Who we surround ourselves with or work with definitely affects the direction of our thoughts and lives.
Hire a coach or help when needed, barter if you can't, and create systems of automation to avoid burnout. You can not do it all as a small business owner. Unfortunately when you're first staring out, there's not always the funds to hire help so you've got to get creative. If you're working yourself into the ground, especially for an extended period of time, that's a sign you need to pray and prepare for help.
Visualize yourself doing scary things, successfully. Not because you're some amazing person (you are! but that's not the focus here), but because when you're following God's call for your life, you can trust Him to help! Pray for courage, wisdom, and the ability to accomplish the plans He has for you. What you put your focus on grows. If you're only thinking of what you can't do, you're negating the fact that God is able to do abundantly more than you could ever ask or think, THROUGH you. Let's not limit God's abilities. Especially if you've heeded His call and said, "Here I am, send me!"
Steward your time and talents and use them for God's glory. Remember the story of the master and the talents? It's our responsibility to know that every good and perfect gift comes from God and that the giver of those gifts has entrusted you to use, multiply, and make more of them. This may mean investing in a course, mentorship, or coaching that aligns with your beliefs and helps you learn and master your craft. It may also mean developing healthy rhythms, holy habits, and creating effective and realistic routines in order to make the most of your time each day. I've got an incredible workshop (here) to help! It also requires you keeping your faith and family first, which is ultimately your first ministry.
Invest in yourself in order to build and grow your dream! We've got to get over the slump of money mindset, sister - here's where the devil wants to talk you out of growth. It's in his best interest for you to stay small! Without investing, you're strung out on time, scouring the internet for ways to grow, scrambling with ideas, trying to learn and do all the things- piece mealing it at best. You might try that for a little while, but I promise you, without a plan and mentorship, and specific goals you're working toward, you'll feel spread wayyyyy too thin. And all your ministries will suffer for it. (Ask me how I know!) Instead of wasting time, let's steward it well and invest in crafting and curating a business that fulfills your personal needs while blessing the socks off the people you're here to serve!
For this, I love to recommend our Purpose and Profit Academy- a biblically focused business mentorship that doesn’t blur the lines between godliness and worldliness and is designed to take you through growing your business biblically as you monetize your God-given ideas and gifts!
In this mentorship you'll have access to ALL the the courses, resources, and templates I've created, plus some bonus tools specific to only you. You'll also have access to my coaching directly in bi-weekly coaching calls and in a daily telegram chat for 3 months! It's the community and tools you've always wanted to propel you in the God-honoring ways you desire to grow!
Finally, trust that God wants what is best for you and He is in control. He can give you more than what you or the universe can because He created both.
I pray this post touched your heart, sparked a new desire to ditch the world and cling to Christ, and frees you to embrace powerful biblical business strategies and the authority that comes from being a daughter of the King!
Cheering you on in Him,
Krista
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