Who do you serve? Your Flesh or God? The Use of Manifestation.

The modern-day practice of manifestation can make it more difficult for man to serve God.

I say this because the essence of manifestation is often the teaching of man how to bring his desires into being, how to give physical form to what he wants. And often, these are the desires of the flesh.

It can subtly turn man into his own god.

One may begin to think, If I can learn a framework by which I can get the universe to bring me what I want, if I can get anything I desire to be brought to me, then why do I need to pray? Why do I need to listen to God? Why do I need to depend on God?

We often depend on God because we believe He is the higher power. He is the overseer. He can tell us yes. He can tell us no. He can say, Wait. I will give you that later. Or He can say, Not now. Or even, Not at all.

And we yield to Him because we trust that, in His wisdom, He knows what is best for us.

But there is something even deeper.

He is the Creator.

The owner tells the clay what it is to become. The clay does not tell the potter, No, I want to be a plate instead. I want to be a cup.

The idea of what the clay will become originates with the creator who is shaping it.

But when a wind of information comes and tells the clay that it has autonomy, that it can decide for itself what it wants to become, the clay begins to lose its dependence on the potter. It begins to determine its own way.

And who says that the mind within us that tells us what to desire is the same as God’s? Who says that it thinks the same as God?

Who says that the ideas, goals, dreams, and visions that rise within our hearts when we attempt to manifest for ourselves are ideas that God has placed there?

Or are they sometimes simply the products of our fleshly desires, and things we have picked up along the way from seeing others in the world?

And if we are all now manifesting the desires of our flesh, have you ever wondered why everybody seems to be manifesting the same things?

A big house.

A big expensive car or SUV.

The man or woman of their dreams.

A lot of money.

Success.

Comfort.

But how many people are manifesting perseverance?

Hope?

Long-suffering?

Self-control?

Patience?

Humility?

Love?

The fruits of godliness?

How many people use this tool called manifestation to pursue what the mind of God wants for us, or even think of checking what he wants when the tool gets into their hands?

Manifestation often seems to focus on what we can acquire, while the Spirit of God is deeply concerned with who we are becoming In our Souls.

God is concerned with the formation of our character. He is concerned with us forming into the image of Christ and then showing others how to do that too.

And so manifestation can become an alternative to surrender.

It can offer us a way to pursue what we want without having to wait on God.

It can offer us a sense of power without dependence.

But we must remember: we are not on earth to serve ourselves. He serve a King, and loyalty demands that we leave what we want for what he wants for us, because his ways are best and he gives blessings without sorrow in his own time.

We are not here merely to fulfil the desires of our hearts.

We are here to know God, to serve Him, and to be formed according to His will.

So what do we do?

Continue to surrender yourself to God.

Because surrender may feel much more difficult when there is an alternative that tells you that you can have the power to create your own reality.

But remember who you are.

You are clay. You were created. And it is to this creator you must give account.

And the clay was not created to establish itself independently from the potter.

Of course, It is not that God does not want to give you good things.

It is not that He does not see your desires.

But Let Him be the One to give them to you.

Let Him determine the best time.

Let Him determine the best way.

He knows when your character has been formed to the point where you are ready for the things you are asking for. He knows how to coordinate all things together for the good of your spirit, soul and body.
Because he created you, and is your true father.

The devil is not your father and doesn’t really care about you. He just cares about separating you from God. That is why his way of using of the tool never points back to dependence on God.

God controls much more than the manifestation of material desires.

He is concerned with the formation of our souls.

The formation of our minds.

The formation of our spirits.

He sees the whole picture.

He puts all things into perspective and holds all things together.

So trust Him to responsibly lead your life.

Because God considers much more than the material benefit.

He considers your soul.

The devil does not. 

He wants you to be trapped in this physical realm by weighing the manifestation of physical things above your soul.