I used to do all these affirmations, and then God found me. When I read in the Bible when Moses asked God his name and he replied “I am.” It sent a chill down my spine… those were the types of affirmations I was doing. “I am (fill in the blank).” And I very much understood the whole concept of us making ourselves gods.
Witchcraft is about saying words, and those spoken words create/change reality. That’s why it is called casting a “spell,” like spelling a word with letters. Affirmations are meant to be very similar; the words you utter change your reality. Prayer is saying “I don’t control reality, show me your will, Lord.” Both use language, but the “work” done through language is either yours (affirmation/witchcraft) or God’s (prayer). My prayer life isn’t great, but I am a baby Christian and I’m still shaking off some of this weird mumbo jumbo and I appreciate your videos, Melissa.
That's what I was thinking while listening. It is like witchcraft, casting spell. I would say that psychology, carl jung and rest of the frauds (Freud ) fit in this category.They got their knowledge from roundtable seances.
I am attending a church and because I’ve had back problems for most of my life, several women have told me, “You are healed,” because they think that God’s will is that we all walk around whole this side of heaven. I simply replied that there are more important things to heal than my body. I’ve walked with the Lord for 42 years now and I don’t buy this crap. We ask God to work His will and purpose. We do not demand of Him, we do not think ourselves into wholeness. Thank you for so eloquently addressing this ridiculousness.
The fundamental difference between these affirmations and correct biblical positive claims, is the source. If I say with enthusiasm, "I am saved!" that is biblical. I am ultimately relying on the word of God and the testimony of the Spirit as evidence to the truth of my claim. I am not taking credit. I did not declare that I saved myself. Everywhere I turn, I see that the key to correct theology is humility. There is a God, and I am not Him. I do not claim any right to manifest anything in my own life of my own will. But I do trust Him to do what he says.
I am thankful I came across your videos. We lost our 6 year old sweet Remi. Affirmations and speaking things into existence, believing when we prayed that she would be healed, believing even as she took her last breath, destroyed my heart and my faith. I will spread these eye opening videos because yes, they thinking of name it claim it, will harm your relationship with God.
I don't know who Remi is and I'm sorry by your loss but we don't base what happens to us by our experience. I recently lost my nephew in a car crash and asked the Lord why an angel didn't come to rescue him. He impressed on me that my nephew wanted to go on to be with Jesus.
God is not an spiritual app that you hit a button to get what you want. We were made to serve Him in spirit and truth. I can only affirm that I was lost and now I am saved through the grace.❤
@@justin10292000 no it is source! I AM is your reality! I AM that I AM! I AM (awareness ) that I AM ( awareness being aware of itself).. it is the WORD made flesh! It is your true name ( nature). It is the image and likeness of God! 😎
My late wife used affirmations... she asked me one day what mine was. I replied, "I am a warm and fuzzy bear!" She failed to see the humor in that and I suffered several days of rejection. The point is that saying it ain't making it true! Often I will use that line when responding to the now meaningless query, "How ya doin' today?" I was and remain a crusty old man trying to live out my faith and I keep falling down. God is good to forgive me of course and... I am much better at being a loving human being. I have not grown fur and I seldom get all the sleep I need, but... "Jesus loves me this I know!" Thanks for the work you do. I like especially that you have made many people realize just how pervasive ancient lies (New Age) permeate today's churches. Few understand the arrogance of the phrase, "Whatever the mind of man can conceive, he can achieve." Babylonian self affirmations are found in all the success books written in the last 2,000 years. Perhaps you will one day address the heresy of Stoicism!
Life and death are in the power of the tongue. I've always taken that to mean, we can use our words to glorify and praise God, to petition, intercede, and make supplication in accordance to his will, or we can place our faith in the words themselves. Knowing we will be judged and held accountable for every idle word spoken, I find it terrifying how freely we speak... Or type. Thank you for this, the Holy Spirit is convicting me of idle words.❤
"I've always taken that to mean" Perhaps in "taking it what it means" you should study it from the authors perspective as to what it means. I take it at its plain meaning....life and death are in the power of the tongue.
When I was a teenage Christian, the community I grew up with taught us this way of prayer or thinking and almost everything went well when I first lived my prayer life this way. Then years later down the line as I grew older and finally entered the real world as a young adult, it almost shattered me. I also kinda got jealous of fellow Christians who seem to "manifest" their prayers into reality while I wasn't able to. It felt like God was playing favorites and I wasn't one of His. I almost stopped praying all together when I realized that it was actually up to God whether a prayer will be answered or not and not the amount of faith or affirmation I did. But God has been good to me, and I learned how to pray with humility ever since then and it was a very painful albeit beautiful path. Sometimes it can be tricky and you can feel hopeless that God may not answer your prayer, but it is truly a test of faith in trusting God's character and might, that whatever He decides is the right thing for you. You'll feel like a loser in this life, especially when God's answers are almost always "no". But as the Bible teaches, the most important thing as a Christian is your spirit, no matter what happen, that it is well with your soul because you have Jesus.
Always love your videos Melissa. I remember in my NAR days I engaged in this because it was what I was taught to do. But now I say "If it's your will God"
I find these posts very accurate. I'm just surprised there are so many Christians caught up in it. I was a missionary/Pastor for 43 years. And of course I didn't teach it or have to deal with it. I'm a part of a very large congregation in my retirement and my pastor is a very clear Bible teacher. I know about Kenneth Copeland and the churches connected with Bethel. But I listen to you and I read the comments. And I say, my word, I'm glad there are people like you in ministry to help these confused souls. And I fear I may have retired too soon 😊! Thank you, Melissa!!
This is true. I've got through difficult times and almost lost my faith completely after a big fail. I never, for one second, thought that I didn't know how faith really works. Faith doesn't make me God. Faith makes me dependant of God.
Thank you for this video. I had always felt that Affirmations were too hokie/New Age-y and they never sat right with me. I have a good Christian friend who was trying to convince me to do them; she just doesn’t understand how many New Age (well, now I know they’re more New Thought) beliefs she has, but when I give pushback she makes me feel like I’M the one with bad theology! These deceptive teachings can be so divisive 😢
Some people caught up in this mindset can definitely be some of the most difficult individuals to relate to. Friendships have ended because of not being “positive “.
Yup, I’m that negative one …just call me Jerry. But really, I’m not over correcting to always being negative, i just try my best to see things biblically and I don’t want to be decieved!
AMEN to this! Coming out of WOF/NAR I lost all of my "friends" and people who "loved" me. I am so blessed to have found a genuine, liturgical, orthodox, Sola Scriptura Church! Thank you Dear LORD for bringing me out!
To be fair, no one wants to be around someone who is always a downer 😅 its a bit difficult to stay happy with someone like this, and thats why psychologists need therapy too, because by getting exposed to many sad stories, they get depressed
I have had my friends think I’m like an unbeliever because I don’t agree with their speaking to things to make them so. Or thst the Lord wants everyone healthy wealthy and well which is just not true. He wants us holy and believing and taking Him at his Word. Yes he cann still heal or anything he wanted to when he wants to He is Sovereign God . Help me to continue to pray for my friends and to stand firm in my faith
no it isn't His name at all. God said I AM who I AM. its just a declaration statement. His name is YHWH or YHVH funny thing is, if you ask me "are you saying I AM isn't Gods name?" i would respond with....."I AM!" that doesn't mean im claiming to be God or anything. we need to understand what words mean again and especially how they're defined in scripture. these simple confusions are ruining Christians faith and perverting Gods word
Melissa, thank you! I was in WOF for 17 years. We left 4 years ago and I’ve struggled with my prayer life. This helps me see a few more reasons why. I’ve read a several good books, but this also helped me. Thank you!
Yes, she has been a huge help understanding all of the WoF stuff that never worked in 16 years for me. Healthy dependence on God in prayer starts with humility, which I found little of in those circles.
I left WOF 2 years ago and had an absolute crisis of faith to the point where I thought I was losing my mind. I entered Christian counseling that dealt specifically with spiritual abuse and God used this in my life. To this day, I still struggle with prayer but an reconnecting to my first love (Jesus). The repetition part Melissa talks about is real.
Affirmations/declarations attempt to conform God's perfect will to our fallible self-will, but Biblical prayer is submission of our fallible self-will in deference to the perfect will of God. Thank you, Melissa, for taking so much time and effort to learn this information about new thought and to share it with us! It is truly a shame that this has not been taught by by prominent preachers and teachers, but it is not really surprising, considering the inherent prideful fallen nature of all humanity. I, sincerely, pray that the truth reaches the ears and hearts of everyone who hears, they we will be in complete submission to the sovereign, providential will of God, Who loves us, and Who knows what is best for us, and deserves all the glory, so that we can live within God's perfect peace and strength regardless of our circumstances or emotions!
This is something I have gotten into debates with those word of faithers. We are not sovereign, only God is. We can ask in faith, but at the same time we need to be submitted to his holy will for our lives. He sees things and outcomes and results that we do not. We can trust Him to answer in the best way possible, even if we don't like it. These friends would just say I don't have enough faith.
@@veritatemdicam4585 Yes, I have heard those same accusations, too. They need to understand that we walk by faith in the sovereignty of God's perfect will, meaning, God knows what is best, and we do not, which is why we must follow the leading of His Holy Spirit, Who always leads according to the written Word of God, and obey His judgements and direction, as opposed to trying to manipulate God to answer according to our own fallible expectations.
Nope--affirmations confirm God's will which is of course scripture. As mature believers our will should align with His will. Jesus is the high priests of our confessions and or professions. We have to speak them out of our mouths for him to execute them.
@@susanthroop1279 You are conflating the meanings of the words "profession," "confession," and "affirmation," because they mean very different things. God tells us to confess that His Word is absolute Truth, and to profess the gospel message to the world, but God never told us to affirm His Word, because He has already done that through Jesus, Who IS the Living Word of God. Scripture always affirms itself, precept upon precept. We are subject to God's authority and power, God is not subject to ours. God's Word is true, because He said so, not because we say so. Our confessions and professions are of the scriptures, which is the expressed perfect will of God, to which we humbly submit, not incantations that force God to conform in submissive action according to our own self wills! God is in control with all the power, to Whom, we submit. We do not control God, at all.
@@ThundermansThunder From a simple google search: Affirmation can mean confession Affirmation can mean confession12345. In the context of faith, confession is an open statement of belief, and it is rooted in God's eternal truth45.
My husband had an accident as a teenager that left him blind in one eye. After he becams a Christian, he had Christians tell him to just affirm God wanted his eye healed and keep affirming until it happened. I am healed i have a new eye etc. After awhile, he became really discouraged and almost lost his faith that God was a good God. I told him God is not a genue in a bottle. We cant just think and speak something into existence. God does not do our will, we do His will.
Thank you again Melissa! I cannot wait to get your book “Happy Lies”. In 2021 my sister started saying some really odd things- we were both raised in a Christian home but now I was worried that she was embracing some dangerous “theology”. She was more positive now more than ever but her beliefs had taken a big turn- it was confusing because it sounded Christian- but, I know Gods word well & I know when it’s being distorted. I warned my sister of these dangerous things she was embracing-I didn’t know what to call it. Thanks to your ministry- I know now that it is New Thought. I pray for my sister regularly - I’m actually starting a small group at my church with my husband and our church’s assistant pastor & his wife. The group is for people who have questions in the Christian faith- doubts and maybe even dealing with deconstruction. I feel that God has been leading me to dig into Christian apologetics since 2021- when I confronted my sisters new “ beliefs”. I want to thank you for being a BIG part in my learning & I pray to help others avoid these deceptions about God & his word. Love you!!
What you want should line up with what He wants. John 15:7 New International Version If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Thanks for this message friend. I started following Jesus last year after initially thinking I'd been a Christian for nearly 20 years😀. Mistake: I started listening to Kenneth Hagin, Andrew Wommack and other similar preachers. After a while, I noticed that I started getting arrogant and boastful and prideful while thinking that others were not in faith. I'm not proud of it. Imagine your kids going about saying what they want and then adding your name at the end. I can imagine that's what these prayers sound like to God. Thankfully, God graciously got me out of it and cleaned me up as I listened to the likes of David Pawson and Derek Prince and switched churches. What captured me was the humility the spoke with; quite different from the others. Over time, the Holy Spirit gave me an understanding of Biblical prayer. In Matthew 6, Jesus instructs us to pray, saying "...Your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us our daily bread..." This is us asking God to give us what we need in order to do on earth what He wants done, in the same way that what He wants in heaven gets done. It's about humble dependence on God. I stopped the declarations and started asking God how He wanted certain things handled in all situations. I now follow His instructions (some haven't made sense initially, but I see results that I can't attribute to anyone else. And it's not massive stuff: waking up earlier to help my kids, and over time seeing them come to me voluntarily to talk about God. The Greek word translated "prayer" in the Bible actually means an exchange of wishes. We lay down our lives and our wishes and God is then able to tell us what He wants us to do and how He wants it done. Then His name is glorified in us (1 Cor. 1:29).
There is definitely a lot of truth in this video. But my personal belief is that you are dangerously close to falling into the other proverbial ditch that you mentioned. We have to remember that new thought/new age have simply stolen and appropriated from Christianity. There are seeds of truth in what they say. And if we flat out reject everything they say, we are rejecting seeds of truth. Declaring and affirming God’s will and God’s truth can be some of the most powerful ways of standing firm against the enemy. The key is to declare HIS will. Not our own. This is how you stay free from the NT/NA distortions
"We have to remember that new thought/new age have simply stolen and appropriated from Christianity." And christianity has stolen many of it's biblical fables from earlier religions.
@@louonUT Duh.....because she's speaking misrepresentations and lies. Just read my post where I explain in the beginning if it still up. She usually takes my posts down.
@@susanthroop1279 I didn’t know you made a post . I was answering your comment to mine where you left no evidence. What are your credentials to say she is lying? I scrolled through some and did not see your post. If you think it is worth the effort , copy and paste here.
I'm so glad you posted this video. We are dealing with this in our church right now. It's like people are asleep. These things should be obvious that it is not of God. We depend on God for everything or we should be.
Interesting video. And I half agree. I agree that positive affirmations will not change your material reality, that is the realm of our sovereign Lord alone. I also agree that scripture is often taken out of context to justify new age beliefs, and the it can be looked at as a spiritual button that activates change. However, I disagree that the idea that the outcome of positive affirmation is replacing the sovereign Lord with sovereign self. At their core, affirmations are not about changing your material reality but your perception of self and/or circumstances, which in turn leads to a change of attitude, resulting in a change of behaviour, which in turn leads to positive changes in your circumstances. There have been numerous scientific studies that demonstrate the positive neurological effects of affirmations. I think it is possible to use affirmations in a practical sense while still relying and trusting in a sovereign Lord.
AMEN!!! Great explained! Thank you! I have never understood any of that but now I do...on the other hand I have only known about God`s sovereignty for about five years. I am so THANKFUL for all HE has done for us, while we were still sinners.
We humans have a tendency to lean too far to the right or to the left. It is within His perfect will that miracles take place. He is God, and we aren't. I hope for a certain outcome but have to be willing to accept my Maker's will. His determination opens my eyes to the reality that I am not in control. Jesus asked to be spared the cup of the crucifixion, but in the end, He accepted His Father's will. The hubris involved in our thinking is no small matter. To think we can call things into being must cause our Father great concern.
My Makers will in written in the Old and New Covenant. In order for his will to come to pass we have to appropriate it by faith through our confession and profession. Its not always easy because when the going gets tough the faithful get faithless. Apostle Paul lived a rough life but he never let go of his faith.
I didn’t realize how much new thought affirmation stuff I was believing when I first surrendered my life to the Lord. I thought it was truth because I’d come out of a church system that was also so different and misguided, so I assumed it was what real Christianity looked like. My mind was just blown. But something always felt manipulative about it, but I didn’t know any better and accepted it. So thankful the Lord has opened my eyes.
It has always made me feel irritated when I have encountered this notion of affirmations, now I know why. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it always felt misdirected and made God small. Thanks for the clarity!
Thank you again. This is so needed. I need to hear this. How easily we can be pulled and swayed. Keep speaking His Truth and the whole counsel of Scriptures so that we can live for His glory.
Thank you. Very nice video. I did quite a bit of therapy in the past and affirmations were a common practice. I could not do them. I would try but at most do them a couple times. I found saying Bible verses out loud most helpful. My favorite " There is no condemnation in the Lord for them that love Him and are called according to His purpose" Whenever I feel judged, judge myself, or feel inadequate I will say this verse out loud. God is good.
Hey Melissa! Thanks so much for this video teaching! Really powerful! Love your heart for God and God's word for the Body. You're a champion for biblical truth! Your words have fallen on good ground. Keep on keppin on, Sister!! 👍🏾
Thank you so much for these very much needed vids, Mel. We highly appreciate this clarity because silliness easily seeps into Christianity and dilutes it. It's very important that know what is and what is not true Christianity. We love our Savior and don't want to be misled in any way. And God is using you sift crap from our Christian faith and Christian living. May God continue to bless you and use you to reach even more people. Lots of love from South Africa.
Another insightful and educational video! I wish every believer in The Messiah would be able and interested in learning this! Such important content! I was taught this new thought stuff for several years and I am ashamed to say, I tried to walk in it. Of course it didn’t work but I kept trying to bolster my faith. It was a stressful anxiety producing way to live. What finally helped me get out of this was many of the things I was saying was a flat out lie. Period. Saying anything other than what I wanted was not allowed. So that necessitated that I not discuss my current challenges with anyone. So it was an isolating way to live. No one to share my burdens with because I was not to even acknowledge that I had burdens. Very dysfunctional practice and harmful. Thank you for exposing this.
Been speaking affirmations and declarations at my bank account, but it ain't working, the insurance payment still went out yesterday. 😂 I'll do some more declarations at Jesus on it next week. Thanks Melissa! Praying for your New Thought book to reach everyone you can!
Melissa I’ve been following for a long time now, and your last few videos have been SO well done. You’ve grown a lot as a creator, but stayed true to the message. I appreciate your channel so much 🫶🏻
Let me just say this video is very eye opening. It's strange when you hear people talking about the way you were taught to approach prayer or declarations as wrong. But even before seeing this video, and I'm only 6 minutes in, I have already been questioning this way for about 2 years now. I've been in it for over 20 years. But I was sitting there one day and started to notice that the more declaring I was doing, the less I was actually praying and asking Jesus for help. Then I heard a pastor, Mario Murillo, speak about healing in one of his tent meetings. He said we need to ask for healing, not demand it. I am starting to hear this more and more, realizing I have been brought up with some very extreme beliefs, that after reading through scripture, are not scripural at all. I'm not finding examples in the bible of the very practices I have been taught. Wow! Keep it up. A lot of people are getting caught in this. I am now trying to show friends and family the truth, slowly. They can be very defensive. Thank you for sharing. I am glad I finally subscribed to your channel, because I am learning a lot. I almost deconstructed over some of these teachings. People were making feel like it was my fault I was sick, as if I have the same control God does. And that is NOT biblical.
Amen for your excellent work. My constant focus is drifting slowly away from the truth and towards lies. I worked at a company that stated it was a God-first company. I immediately noticed practices and slogans that struck me as "off." I stayed working there for several years. Finally, I chose to leave. I wanted nothing more to do with affirmations, goal setting, and "if it's to be, it's up to me" thinking.
Thank you Melissa for educating us further on New Thought and affirmations, especially when these ideas are woven through many areas of life (business, education, churches, etc.). I appreciate your research and presentation.
Thank you for that thorough explanation. I have used affirmations without even knowing until I thought about some of my daily prays with what you described.
I lived my life feeling unworthy attracting people who agreed with me. Jesus Taught me that I am Worthy. Jesus Taught that the Father Knows what we need before we even ask and He Will Give them to us. Trust HIM. 😊❤
In the end of the day, one way is self-focused, the other way is God-focused. One way is about what I want and God coming in line with me. The other is about what God wants and me coming in line with him. I know where I want my attention to be and I know whose will I seek.
I blogged on a couple of those verses several years back. They will be resurfacing on my Substack on “Memory Mondays” soon. Thanks for this pointed, yet respectful and nuanced, video
Thanks Melissa, agreed. I’d love to share this with some other people who subscribe to that rubbish, but they won’t hear it. I’m so thankful God has got me out of that mindset years ago. Love your videos. Several years ago I wrote a book called ´GOD I AM’ … The names titles and attributes of God. It’s all about Him, not about us. Appreciate you so much Sis. God bless ❤
Thank you. I understand about praying for our sickness or a better situation, but I felt my prayers being answered when I was honest with God, after repenting and asking for help and external conformation to know that my hands are on it, but His hands.
Our God indeed is a covenant keeping God. Has he said a thing and not perform it? I watch how things unfold in my life, from penury to $155,000 every three months and I can only praise him and trust him more. Hallelujah🙌🏻❤️
I was at a Christian music concert last night. Four or so bands there. It has been a while since i listened to this kind of music. I noticed a lot of positive affirmation type of lyrics praising God with the expectation that God will be the cosmic sugar daddy guaranteeing everything in life now will be fixed for us. A song even used the word "breakthrough" and I thought I should scare up a Fighting For The Faith Prophecy Bingo card.
God might not be the cosmic sugar daddy and He might not give us our every wish or whim but as we mature we learn not to ask for things that would harm us. He does say though if we ask for a fish he won't give us a stone. Most of you on this chat are wanting to disprove God's goodness as our loving heavenly Father. If you're double minded, James says you won't get anything.
Where's the ❤ button??? I have lived with New Thought stuck in my head for decades! Thank you so much for 'splaining things - and BTW, I am so over the "declare & decree" isms! Another BTW, if I ever feel tempted to say any affirmations again, I'll just quote scripture out loud. (One I've said many times is, "have mercy on me, a sinner...") May God bless you, Melissa! I'm so grateful I discovered you! ❤
Excellent explanation, Melissa. Thank you for the clarification, once again redirecting our hearts to submission to God and not to our own thoughts. God bless you!
I just want to say Melissa i appreciate so much tbe blessing your videos have been in my life. I was bery deceived for a number of years by the NAR/WOF/PG/New thought teachings- although it was through your videos i learned about New thought, i didnt know what that wad before then. I feel like I've spent years unweaving the lies and decptions i fell for, and God in His grace brought me to your videos and they have helped me SO much! So thank you sooo much for what you are doing and tbe obedience you are walking in with God in doing this ministry.
Love this video. It gives me the words to use to explain (gently but firmly) why declarations are anti-Christ. They hinder a proper prayer life, deny the Most High's sovereignty, and invert the order that the Lord's will and desire becomes our own.
You really dug into my flaw and I thank you for it. "Thinking overly positive about self can be a flaw as Christians. Because it can deceive us to think we don't have to try harder on our walk."
Thank you, Melissa, you are direct in the nanner of one who wants to protect and provide the truth that secures our souls. Isaiah 51:15,16 I am the Lord your God who stirs up the sea so that its waves Roar. the Lord God Almighty is His Name. I have put My words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of My hand. I who set the heavens in place and who laid the foundations over and who say to Zion you are My people .
I admit to having fallen into the rabbit hole that is speaking affirmations (at the encouragement of a well-meaning therapist). I have repented since then. When I think of it, it's a palm-to-forehead thing. I should have known better, and it only made me more agitated. God's Word is what ultimately healed me. Thank You, God!
So many in my ministry community are just like this. Declaring over and over, even including the elements of wind, rain, etc. I used to be new age and new thought. He pulled me out of that pit and put a new song in my mouth. Thanks Melissa for describing this in a way that’s easy to understand and duplicate when gently speaking out to others. ❤🙏
Right on Melissa. I left a "non denominational" church that said all of these things. They mix it so well with scripture, they blend it in sneakily. It took me over 2 years of twitching every time I heard thigns that didnt sound right befor I realized that it was because they werent right ! By the way, to this church non denominational means; Evangelical, prosperity, WoF, Charismatic, and now that I know, New Thought and New Age. They teach it all. So Thanks Sister for this word.
Great video, Melissa! Thank you! Another thing i was taught in WoF is adding visualization to your affirmations and declarations. Have a vision board and do it everyday!
Having Grown up In Mainstream Baptist/ Methodist Church.. To then move onto “Faith movement “ Churches.. Soo Good to Go back to “The Bible” and Not All these Positive Speak! Thank you. God Bless you. 🎉
Jesus told us in this world we will have troubles of all kinds and might even be killed for our faith. But be of good cheer he has overcome the world 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
This passage is about God calling the enemies of Israel to gather against him, but he is going to judge them. It is a taunt to the enemies of Israel to arm themselves and come and fight against God himself.
Melissa, thanks so much for this message, it is very timely. I have a close relative who fell into the deception. He attends a Biblically solid church but was introduced to affirmations by well meaning but misguided friends about 5 years ago and then began to further explore affirmations by reading certain books and following these teachings online. He became convicted that this was the answer to everything and foolishly quit a very secure and well paying job (but admittedly a little boring) that he had for nearly 20 years to join a new company because he was convinced through the laws of attraction and affirmations that he had not yet met his potential. That was a huge mistake, the new job was very high pressured and his bosses could be verbally abusive. My relative became overwhelmed with stress and due to a health crisis had to quit. He has tossed out all of the new thought books and is back to attending church regularly joining Bible study as he dilligently tries to find a new job. Please pray for him. Laws of affirmations and declarations can be very deceptive, Melissa please continue exposing this.
I’ve been a Christian since the early 80s and have ALWAYS felt a way about “name it and claim it”, “blab it and grab it”. It’s always felt, I don’t know, mystical or new age-y to me, but to mention low key manipulative, if that makes sense (as if we could actually manipulate God). It never sat right in my spirit and this just affirms all that for me. Thank you.
I’ve been a Christian for a handful of years now & I’m new to apologetics. It’s so interesting to learn the many forms by which folks (myself included) can become deceived! I’ve heard of New Age, but not New Thought. Thanks for bringing this up.
Thank you for this video! I recently started falling for this without realizing it, thinking this is what God actually wants us to do and oh man, what a nightmare. My brain went haywire about every thought that wasnt positive and I started blaming myself for not having enough "faith" and thinking all the responsibility was on me because "God put it my control" and it created literal terror in my mind.
God says I’m saved so I say I’m saved. God says I’m healed and so I’m healed. God says I’m blessed and I’m the head and not the tail. Nothing wrong with saying this out loud.
So should we try these as well so we don't pick and choose? God says I'm hated by the world (John 15:19), therefore I'm hated. God says persecution will come (2Tim 3;12), therefore I'm persecuted
Hi Melissa, Thank you for addressing this topic. I've heard pastors, preachers, and Christian influencers talk about affirmations and declarations. I even had a pastor who I've known for quite a while try to heal me with declarations, and it caused me to view him in a different light. He also had some people convinced that gold dust manifested at our church on several occasions. There were times when I questioned whether my faith was weak because I didn't buy into these things; however, I just didn't feel convicted in regard to them. I even tried praying as though something was so that obviously wasn't, and I didn't feel right doing it. It honestly had me conflicted. Thanks again for clarifying the issues with this practice. I will meditate on this so I will be prepared to set others straight, including the pastor.
"I often tell my congregation that God is not our genie." I'm curious if you ever provide credible evidence that god is real? Can you do that now? Thank you.
@@TboneWTFAre you asking because you want to know God if He actually exists and worship Him? Or are you hiding behind the excuse of "no evidence for God" when there is plenty and you just dont want God in your life? I dont mean to sound rude but be extremely honest with yourself. Because even if I gave you evidence of His existence, would it be of use if you dont want to be with Him?
@@dominikwisniewski1818 "Are you asking because you want to know God ..." I haven't decided yet, but what is your evidence? Do you have any? I'd be very interested in hearing it. Thanks.
Thank you dear Melissa absolute great video, thank you for making this video & explaining it so clearly. I was caught up in this teaching from the church I went. This whole declaring decree things is not prayer it’s actually focusing on what you want.
I'll admit, I had a hardened heart at the beginning of this video so much so that I skipped along through waiting to hear something to disagree with. But I was thoroughly grateful for your breakdown of common verses used to back up this 'new thought' deception to play God. I appreciate the distinctions you've made and the explanations of how dangerous it is to try to sit in the seat of God and make Him bend to my desires and beliefs vs complete submission and surrender to His authority, sovereignty and will for all things. It's the switch from self-centered me-ology to God and theology.
I learned about this for the first time working at the office of a conservative denomination. But they referred to it as positive thinking. Have to say, it caused me a lot more stress and pressure than anything else. When I heard the declare stuff, I was able to blow that off easily due to my previous experience.
I used to do all these affirmations, and then God found me. When I read in the Bible when Moses asked God his name and he replied “I am.” It sent a chill down my spine… those were the types of affirmations I was doing. “I am (fill in the blank).” And I very much understood the whole concept of us making ourselves gods.
Wow.
This was...deep. wow.
This message is needed in the church today. Thank you for your ministry.
We are NOT enough. CHRIST is enough. He is MORE than enough.
Amen
Always has been, always will be. Christ is King 🙏
Yes and we are in Him; therefore we are enough.
Witchcraft is about saying words, and those spoken words create/change reality. That’s why it is called casting a “spell,” like spelling a word with letters. Affirmations are meant to be very similar; the words you utter change your reality. Prayer is saying “I don’t control reality, show me your will, Lord.” Both use language, but the “work” done through language is either yours (affirmation/witchcraft) or God’s (prayer). My prayer life isn’t great, but I am a baby Christian and I’m still shaking off some of this weird mumbo jumbo and I appreciate your videos, Melissa.
His Word is His will
That's what I was thinking while listening. It is like witchcraft, casting spell.
I would say that psychology, carl jung and rest of the frauds (Freud ) fit in this category.They got their knowledge from roundtable seances.
Very well stated and differentiated. Keep going and growing!
@@margocarmichael6765so murder is is his will?
You’re right, it’s witchcraft.
Signed - an ex white witch
I am attending a church and because I’ve had back problems for most of my life, several women have told me, “You are healed,” because they think that God’s will is that we all walk around whole this side of heaven. I simply replied that there are more important things to heal than my body. I’ve walked with the Lord for 42 years now and I don’t buy this crap. We ask God to work His will and purpose. We do not demand of Him, we do not think ourselves into wholeness. Thank you for so eloquently addressing this ridiculousness.
This! ❤
Get out of that church, like yesterday! It's Word of Faith, which practices New Thought! Your assertion was correct!
@@downsify I’m aware, don’t worry. I’m grounded very well.
YES!!!! Amen!
@@Valdal98well done. There will always be people in churches with different views since a church is a group of human beings. You can hold your own.
The fundamental difference between these affirmations and correct biblical positive claims, is the source. If I say with enthusiasm, "I am saved!" that is biblical. I am ultimately relying on the word of God and the testimony of the Spirit as evidence to the truth of my claim. I am not taking credit. I did not declare that I saved myself.
Everywhere I turn, I see that the key to correct theology is humility. There is a God, and I am not Him. I do not claim any right to manifest anything in my own life of my own will. But I do trust Him to do what he says.
I am thankful I came across your videos. We lost our 6 year old sweet Remi.
Affirmations and speaking things into existence, believing when we prayed that she would be healed, believing even as she took her last breath, destroyed my heart and my faith.
I will spread these eye opening videos because yes, they thinking of name it claim it, will harm your relationship with God.
I don't know who Remi is and I'm sorry by your loss but we don't base what happens to us by our experience. I recently lost my nephew in a car crash and asked the Lord why an angel didn't come to rescue him. He impressed on me that my nephew wanted to go on to be with Jesus.
God is not an spiritual app that you hit a button to get what you want.
We were made to serve Him in spirit and truth.
I can only affirm that I was lost and now I am saved through the grace.❤
Who are you serving? What do you think God IS? .. it is I AM ..
@@terrypaul7706you think job is like a genie 🧞, sad!
@terrypaul7706 I Am is NOT an "it" or a "what."
@@justin10292000 no it is source! I AM is your reality! I AM that I AM! I AM (awareness ) that I AM ( awareness being aware of itself).. it is the WORD made flesh! It is your true name ( nature). It is the image and likeness of God! 😎
@@terrypaul7706, Jesus is the Word made flesh.
Decreeing and declaring can so easily eliminate a prayer life. It almost did for me. Thanks for this video!
Prayer is to intend! Not beg! Non of you know God! Gods name forever is I AM ( exodus 3.14)..
@@terrypaul7706Calm down. ALL true Christians know God.
Agree! It took me some time to relearn the correct way to approach our Savior.
@@bsusie1 so then what is your saviour and how do you approach it? Your saviour is I AM! You approach this by being still and knowing I AM!
@@terrypaul7706YHWH (Yahweh) translated to english is I am. Yahweh / Jehova is his name!
My late wife used affirmations... she asked me one day what mine was. I replied, "I am a warm and fuzzy bear!" She failed to see the humor in that and I suffered several days of rejection. The point is that saying it ain't making it true! Often I will use that line when responding to the now meaningless query, "How ya doin' today?" I was and remain a crusty old man trying to live out my faith and I keep falling down. God is good to forgive me of course and... I am much better at being a loving human being. I have not grown fur and I seldom get all the sleep I need, but... "Jesus loves me this I know!" Thanks for the work you do. I like especially that you have made many people realize just how pervasive ancient lies (New Age) permeate today's churches. Few understand the arrogance of the phrase, "Whatever the mind of man can conceive, he can achieve." Babylonian self affirmations are found in all the success books written in the last 2,000 years. Perhaps you will one day address the heresy of Stoicism!
Love your words!
Oh what a great idea Re: stoicism. I was just cleaning out old books & came across Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations 😅🤮
Well said…
😂😂😂. Oh, how He loves you! Thanks for the chuckle!
Such a pity she couldn't appreciate your sharp sense of humor ❤😊
Life and death are in the power of the tongue. I've always taken that to mean, we can use our words to glorify and praise God, to petition, intercede, and make supplication in accordance to his will, or we can place our faith in the words themselves. Knowing we will be judged and held accountable for every idle word spoken, I find it terrifying how freely we speak... Or type. Thank you for this, the Holy Spirit is convicting me of idle words.❤
Idle words. Not confessing the Word.
"I've always taken that to mean" Perhaps in "taking it what it means" you should study it from the authors perspective as to what it means. I take it at its plain meaning....life and death are in the power of the tongue.
When I was a teenage Christian, the community I grew up with taught us this way of prayer or thinking and almost everything went well when I first lived my prayer life this way. Then years later down the line as I grew older and finally entered the real world as a young adult, it almost shattered me. I also kinda got jealous of fellow Christians who seem to "manifest" their prayers into reality while I wasn't able to. It felt like God was playing favorites and I wasn't one of His. I almost stopped praying all together when I realized that it was actually up to God whether a prayer will be answered or not and not the amount of faith or affirmation I did.
But God has been good to me, and I learned how to pray with humility ever since then and it was a very painful albeit beautiful path. Sometimes it can be tricky and you can feel hopeless that God may not answer your prayer, but it is truly a test of faith in trusting God's character and might, that whatever He decides is the right thing for you. You'll feel like a loser in this life, especially when God's answers are almost always "no". But as the Bible teaches, the most important thing as a Christian is your spirit, no matter what happen, that it is well with your soul because you have Jesus.
Exactly where I’m at at the moment. Totally powerless and useless. I need God so kuch and can’t give up. Praise God!!!❤
Always love your videos Melissa. I remember in my NAR days I engaged in this because it was what I was taught to do. But now I say "If it's your will God"
Im thankful i didn't do this affirmation prayers but even if i did Im glad I dont pray like that anymore ❤ Praise God and God bless you all❤
There is no such thing as NAR. You've been propagandized.
I find these posts very accurate. I'm just surprised there are so many Christians caught up in it. I was a missionary/Pastor for 43 years. And of course I didn't teach it or have to deal with it. I'm a part of a very large congregation in my retirement and my pastor is a very clear Bible teacher. I know about Kenneth Copeland and the churches connected with Bethel. But I listen to you and I read the comments. And I say, my word, I'm glad there are people like you in ministry to help these confused souls. And I fear I may have retired too soon 😊! Thank you, Melissa!!
This is true.
I've got through difficult times and almost lost my faith completely after a big fail.
I never, for one second, thought that I didn't know how faith really works.
Faith doesn't make me God.
Faith makes me dependant of God.
Can I borrow this to quote? "Faith doesn't make me God. Faith makes me decent on God". Thank you
@@shiranduarte well said!
Exactly brother ❤
So you're a complete expert on how faith works?
Thank you for this video. I had always felt that Affirmations were too hokie/New Age-y and they never sat right with me. I have a good Christian friend who was trying to convince me to do them; she just doesn’t understand how many New Age (well, now I know they’re more New Thought) beliefs she has, but when I give pushback she makes me feel like I’M the one with bad theology! These deceptive teachings can be so divisive 😢
So you couldn't possibly have bad theology???? Kinda of arrogant, dont' you think?
Some people caught up in this mindset can definitely be some of the most difficult individuals to relate to. Friendships have ended because of not being “positive “.
Yup, I’m that negative one …just call me Jerry. But really, I’m not over correcting to always being negative, i just try my best to see things biblically and I don’t want to be decieved!
AMEN to this! Coming out of WOF/NAR I lost all of my "friends" and people who "loved" me. I am so blessed to have found a genuine, liturgical, orthodox, Sola Scriptura Church! Thank you Dear LORD for bringing me out!
To be fair, no one wants to be around someone who is always a downer 😅 its a bit difficult to stay happy with someone like this, and thats why psychologists need therapy too, because by getting exposed to many sad stories, they get depressed
I have had my friends think I’m like an unbeliever because I don’t agree with their speaking to things to make them so. Or thst the Lord wants everyone healthy wealthy and well which is just not true. He wants us holy and believing and taking Him at his Word. Yes he cann still heal or anything he wanted to when he wants to He is Sovereign God . Help me to continue to pray for my friends and to stand firm in my faith
@@k.popper2620I pray that I can find a good Bible believing church too.
I AM is His name not a magic spell or key to self-affirmation. I must decrease so He might increase.
Amen
no it isn't His name at all.
God said I AM who I AM. its just a declaration statement.
His name is YHWH or YHVH
funny thing is, if you ask me "are you saying I AM isn't Gods name?"
i would respond with....."I AM!"
that doesn't mean im claiming to be God or anything. we need to understand what words mean again and especially how they're defined in scripture. these simple confusions are ruining Christians faith and perverting Gods word
@@junk3996Exactly, if I AM, alone were Gods name, then every time we'd be committing blasphemy by introducing ourselves as' I'm so and so'.
Melissa, thank you! I was in WOF for 17 years. We left 4 years ago and I’ve struggled with my prayer life. This helps me see a few more reasons why. I’ve read a several good books, but this also helped me. Thank you!
Yes, she has been a huge help understanding all of the WoF stuff that never worked in 16 years for me. Healthy dependence on God in prayer starts with humility, which I found little of in those circles.
Repentance always leads us back to God. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just .... 1John 1:9
@@paulalane8638 Yes. That kind of “faith” is pride disguised as belief.
I left WOF 2 years ago and had an absolute crisis of faith to the point where I thought I was losing my mind. I entered Christian counseling that dealt specifically with spiritual abuse and God used this in my life.
To this day, I still struggle with prayer but an reconnecting to my first love (Jesus).
The repetition part Melissa talks about is real.
Affirmations/declarations attempt to conform God's perfect will to our fallible self-will, but Biblical prayer is submission of our fallible self-will in deference to the perfect will of God. Thank you, Melissa, for taking so much time and effort to learn this information about new thought and to share it with us! It is truly a shame that this has not been taught by by prominent preachers and teachers, but it is not really surprising, considering the inherent prideful fallen nature of all humanity. I, sincerely, pray that the truth reaches the ears and hearts of everyone who hears, they we will be in complete submission to the sovereign, providential will of God, Who loves us, and Who knows what is best for us, and deserves all the glory, so that we can live within God's perfect peace and strength regardless of our circumstances or emotions!
This is something I have gotten into debates with those word of faithers. We are not sovereign, only God is. We can ask in faith, but at the same time we need to be submitted to his holy will for our lives. He sees things and outcomes and results that we do not. We can trust Him to answer in the best way possible, even if we don't like it. These friends would just say I don't have enough faith.
@@veritatemdicam4585 Yes, I have heard those same accusations, too. They need to understand that we walk by faith in the sovereignty of God's perfect will, meaning, God knows what is best, and we do not, which is why we must follow the leading of His Holy Spirit, Who always leads according to the written Word of God, and obey His judgements and direction, as opposed to trying to manipulate God to answer according to our own fallible expectations.
Nope--affirmations confirm God's will which is of course scripture. As mature believers our will should align with His will. Jesus is the high priests of our confessions and or professions. We have to speak them out of our mouths for him to execute them.
@@susanthroop1279 You are conflating the meanings of the words "profession," "confession," and "affirmation," because they mean very different things. God tells us to confess that His Word is absolute Truth, and to profess the gospel message to the world, but God never told us to affirm His Word, because He has already done that through Jesus, Who IS the Living Word of God. Scripture always affirms itself, precept upon precept. We are subject to God's authority and power, God is not subject to ours. God's Word is true, because He said so, not because we say so. Our confessions and professions are of the scriptures, which is the expressed perfect will of God, to which we humbly submit, not incantations that force God to conform in submissive action according to our own self wills! God is in control with all the power, to Whom, we submit. We do not control God, at all.
@@ThundermansThunder From a simple google search:
Affirmation can mean confession
Affirmation can mean confession12345. In the context of faith, confession is an open statement of belief, and it is rooted in God's eternal truth45.
My husband had an accident as a teenager that left him blind in one eye. After he becams a Christian, he had Christians tell him to just affirm God wanted his eye healed and keep affirming until it happened. I am healed i have a new eye etc. After awhile, he became really discouraged and almost lost his faith that God was a good God. I told him God is not a genue in a bottle. We cant just think and speak something into existence. God does not do our will, we do His will.
Yes...and. God is also the God of healing. He doesn't heal everyone, but he also heals.
Its not up to God. God already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. We have to appropriate those blessings by faith.
Thank you again Melissa! I cannot wait to get your book “Happy Lies”.
In 2021 my sister started saying some really odd things- we were both raised in a Christian home but now I was worried that she was embracing some dangerous “theology”. She was more positive now more than ever but her beliefs had taken a big turn- it was confusing because it sounded Christian- but, I know Gods word well & I know when it’s being distorted. I warned my sister of these dangerous things she was embracing-I didn’t know what to call it. Thanks to your ministry- I know now that it is New Thought. I pray for my sister regularly - I’m actually starting a small group at my church with my husband and our church’s assistant pastor & his wife. The group is for people who have questions in the Christian faith- doubts and maybe even dealing with deconstruction. I feel that God has been leading me to dig into Christian apologetics since 2021- when I confronted my sisters new “ beliefs”. I want to thank you for being a BIG part in my learning & I pray to help others avoid these deceptions about God & his word. Love you!!
I’m speaking Who God says I am And what the Bible say over me “ Not what I want and what I say .
Amen!
Exactly and doesn't it say you are healed and made whole?
What you want should line up with what He wants. John 15:7
New International Version
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Thanks for this message friend. I started following Jesus last year after initially thinking I'd been a Christian for nearly 20 years😀. Mistake: I started listening to Kenneth Hagin, Andrew Wommack and other similar preachers. After a while, I noticed that I started getting arrogant and boastful and prideful while thinking that others were not in faith. I'm not proud of it. Imagine your kids going about saying what they want and then adding your name at the end. I can imagine that's what these prayers sound like to God. Thankfully, God graciously got me out of it and cleaned me up as I listened to the likes of David Pawson and Derek Prince and switched churches. What captured me was the humility the spoke with; quite different from the others.
Over time, the Holy Spirit gave me an understanding of Biblical prayer. In Matthew 6, Jesus instructs us to pray, saying "...Your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us our daily bread..." This is us asking God to give us what we need in order to do on earth what He wants done, in the same way that what He wants in heaven gets done. It's about humble dependence on God. I stopped the declarations and started asking God how He wanted certain things handled in all situations. I now follow His instructions (some haven't made sense initially, but I see results that I can't attribute to anyone else. And it's not massive stuff: waking up earlier to help my kids, and over time seeing them come to me voluntarily to talk about God.
The Greek word translated "prayer" in the Bible actually means an exchange of wishes. We lay down our lives and our wishes and God is then able to tell us what He wants us to do and how He wants it done. Then His name is glorified in us (1 Cor. 1:29).
Well don't blame your arrogance on Kenneth Hagin, Andrew Wommack....neither of them are arrogant. They are very humble. Arrogance is your problem.
There is definitely a lot of truth in this video. But my personal belief is that you are dangerously close to falling into the other proverbial ditch that you mentioned. We have to remember that new thought/new age have simply stolen and appropriated from Christianity. There are seeds of truth in what they say. And if we flat out reject everything they say, we are rejecting seeds of truth. Declaring and affirming God’s will and God’s truth can be some of the most powerful ways of standing firm against the enemy. The key is to declare HIS will. Not our own. This is how you stay free from the NT/NA distortions
"We have to remember that new thought/new age have simply stolen and appropriated from Christianity." And christianity has stolen many of it's biblical fables from earlier religions.
The Christian church has, but not true Christ following Christianity.
Yes!
YES
So well put!!!! 100 percent!!!! I hope Melissa will read this!
Finally someone speaking on this -thank you
She's speaking misrepresentations and lies.
@ really -why do you say that ?
@@louonUT Duh.....because she's speaking misrepresentations and lies. Just read my post where I explain in the beginning if it still up. She usually takes my posts down.
@@susanthroop1279 I didn’t know you made a post . I was answering your comment to mine where you left no evidence. What are your credentials to say she is lying? I scrolled through some and did not see your post. If you think it is worth the effort , copy and paste here.
I'm so glad you posted this video. We are dealing with this in our church right now. It's like people are asleep. These things should be obvious that it is not of God. We depend on God for everything or we should be.
Interesting video. And I half agree. I agree that positive affirmations will not change your material reality, that is the realm of our sovereign Lord alone. I also agree that scripture is often taken out of context to justify new age beliefs, and the it can be looked at as a spiritual button that activates change. However, I disagree that the idea that the outcome of positive affirmation is replacing the sovereign Lord with sovereign self.
At their core, affirmations are not about changing your material reality but your perception of self and/or circumstances, which in turn leads to a change of attitude, resulting in a change of behaviour, which in turn leads to positive changes in your circumstances. There have been numerous scientific studies that demonstrate the positive neurological effects of affirmations. I think it is possible to use affirmations in a practical sense while still relying and trusting in a sovereign Lord.
I yi yi....you're a Calvinist, right?
@susanthroop1279 Orthodox
@susanthroop1279 Orthodox
AMEN!!! Great explained! Thank you! I have never understood any of that but now I do...on the other hand I have only known about God`s sovereignty for about five years. I am so THANKFUL for all HE has done for us, while we were still sinners.
Are you Calvinist?
I’ll be sharing this far and wide.
Ditto! 👍🏻
Please don't.
@ I’d be willing to hear any reason you don’t think I should.
@@DaveGme Because Melissa is misrepresenting the Word of Faith Christian of whom I am one....I've been one for about 35 years.
That’s scary! I think I have done that not even knowing what I was doing!!! Ahhhh!!! I’m so glad you made this.
We humans have a tendency to lean too far to the right or to the left. It is within His perfect will that miracles take place. He is God, and we aren't. I hope for a certain outcome but have to be willing to accept my Maker's will. His determination opens my eyes to the reality that I am not in control. Jesus asked to be spared the cup of the crucifixion, but in the end, He accepted His Father's will. The hubris involved in our thinking is no small matter. To think we can call things into being must cause our Father great concern.
Wow. Boom. That hit home for me. Thank you.
My Makers will in written in the Old and New Covenant. In order for his will to come to pass we have to appropriate it by faith through our confession and profession. Its not always easy because when the going gets tough the faithful get faithless. Apostle Paul lived a rough life but he never let go of his faith.
I am tired and hungry. Thank God he gives both food and weekends and doesn’t withhold them just because I express my needs in words!
@@Window4503 Saying "I am going to eat steak tonight" doesn't magically put it in your stomach.
It also doesn't mean you won't get it.
I appreciate the honesty and truth-seeking. So necessary.
Thank you! I needed this clarity. Have a blessed day.
I didn’t realize how much new thought affirmation stuff I was believing when I first surrendered my life to the Lord. I thought it was truth because I’d come out of a church system that was also so different and misguided, so I assumed it was what real Christianity looked like. My mind was just blown. But something always felt manipulative about it, but I didn’t know any better and accepted it. So thankful the Lord has opened my eyes.
It has always made me feel irritated when I have encountered this notion of affirmations, now I know why. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it always felt misdirected and made God small. Thanks for the clarity!
Thank you again. This is so needed. I need to hear this. How easily we can be pulled and swayed. Keep speaking His Truth and the whole counsel of Scriptures so that we can live for His glory.
❤Thank You, Melissa, for using your voice for Him and the Truth of His Word…xo Judith
Thank you.
Very nice video.
I did quite a bit of therapy in the past and affirmations were a common practice.
I could not do them.
I would try but at most do them a couple times.
I found saying Bible verses out loud most helpful.
My favorite
" There is no condemnation in the Lord for them that love Him and are called according to His purpose"
Whenever I feel judged, judge myself, or feel inadequate I will say this verse out loud.
God is good.
Hey Melissa! Thanks so much for this video teaching! Really powerful! Love your heart for God and God's word for the Body. You're a champion for biblical truth! Your words have fallen on good ground. Keep on keppin on, Sister!! 👍🏾
Thank you so much for these very much needed vids, Mel. We highly appreciate this clarity because silliness easily seeps into Christianity and dilutes it. It's very important that know what is and what is not true Christianity. We love our Savior and don't want to be misled in any way. And God is using you sift crap from our Christian faith and Christian living. May God continue to bless you and use you to reach even more people. Lots of love from South Africa.
Why do I feel like I am being unburdened from that which has been so that I can go forward and realize true faith?
Another insightful and educational video! I wish every believer in The Messiah would be able and interested in learning this! Such important content!
I was taught this new thought stuff for several years and I am ashamed to say, I tried to walk in it. Of course it didn’t work but I kept trying to bolster my faith. It was a stressful anxiety producing way to live. What finally helped me get out of this was many of the things I was saying was a flat out lie. Period. Saying anything other than what I wanted was not allowed. So that necessitated that I not discuss my current challenges with anyone. So it was an isolating way to live. No one to share my burdens with because I was not to even acknowledge that I had burdens. Very dysfunctional practice and harmful.
Thank you for exposing this.
Been speaking affirmations and declarations at my bank account, but it ain't working, the insurance payment still went out yesterday. 😂
I'll do some more declarations at Jesus on it next week.
Thanks Melissa! Praying for your New Thought book to reach everyone you can!
LOL!🤣
Melissa I’ve been following for a long time now, and your last few videos have been SO well done. You’ve grown a lot as a creator, but stayed true to the message. I appreciate your channel so much 🫶🏻
Let me just say this video is very eye opening. It's strange when you hear people talking about the way you were taught to approach prayer or declarations as wrong. But even before seeing this video, and I'm only 6 minutes in, I have already been questioning this way for about 2 years now. I've been in it for over 20 years. But I was sitting there one day and started to notice that the more declaring I was doing, the less I was actually praying and asking Jesus for help. Then I heard a pastor, Mario Murillo, speak about healing in one of his tent meetings. He said we need to ask for healing, not demand it. I am starting to hear this more and more, realizing I have been brought up with some very extreme beliefs, that after reading through scripture, are not scripural at all. I'm not finding examples in the bible of the very practices I have been taught. Wow! Keep it up. A lot of people are getting caught in this. I am now trying to show friends and family the truth, slowly. They can be very defensive. Thank you for sharing. I am glad I finally subscribed to your channel, because I am learning a lot. I almost deconstructed over some of these teachings. People were making feel like it was my fault I was sick, as if I have the same control God does. And that is NOT biblical.
Amen for your excellent work. My constant focus is drifting slowly away from the truth and towards lies. I worked at a company that stated it was a God-first company. I immediately noticed practices and slogans that struck me as "off." I stayed working there for several years. Finally, I chose to leave. I wanted nothing more to do with affirmations, goal setting, and "if it's to be, it's up to me" thinking.
People like you are needed for this generation sister Meli.Dou
Thank you Melissa for educating us further on New Thought and affirmations, especially when these ideas are woven through many areas of life (business, education, churches, etc.). I appreciate your research and presentation.
Thank you for that thorough explanation. I have used affirmations without even knowing until I thought about some of my daily prays with what you described.
I lived my life feeling unworthy attracting people who agreed with me. Jesus Taught me that I am Worthy. Jesus Taught that the Father Knows what we need before we even ask and He Will Give them to us. Trust HIM. 😊❤
Finallly a voice of truth....thanks.
Thank you so much Miss Melissa.
This blessed my life and have freed me from "positive thinking" against trusting God
In the end of the day, one way is self-focused, the other way is God-focused.
One way is about what I want and God coming in line with me. The other is about what God wants and me coming in line with him.
I know where I want my attention to be and I know whose will I seek.
And God focused is that God so loved us that He gave HIs only son......
I blogged on a couple of those verses several years back. They will be resurfacing on my Substack on “Memory Mondays” soon.
Thanks for this pointed, yet respectful and nuanced, video
I have juat come away from affirmations and re-learning prayer. Its really great. Thank you
Thank you Melissa!! As always speaking God'sTruth and not wavering on ANYTHING!
This is a much needed video. Now I have to meditate how much of my prayers and thoughts have really been serving the idol of self.
Thanks Melissa, agreed. I’d love to share this with some other people who subscribe to that rubbish, but they won’t hear it. I’m so thankful God has got me out of that mindset years ago. Love your videos. Several years ago I wrote a book called ´GOD I AM’ … The names titles and attributes of God. It’s all about Him, not about us. Appreciate you so much Sis. God bless ❤
Melissa! This is so good! I definitely need to save this and watch this a few times to be able to discuss this with my friends. Thank you!
Wow!!! Thank you so much for this video. Praise God for showing me this video and providing the clarity that I needed.🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾♥️♥️♥️
Thank you. I understand about praying for our sickness or a better situation, but I felt my prayers being answered when I was honest with God, after repenting and asking for help and external conformation to know that my hands are on it, but His hands.
Our God indeed is a covenant keeping God. Has he said a thing and not perform it? I watch how things unfold in my life, from penury to $155,000 every three months and I can only praise him and trust him more. Hallelujah🙌🏻❤️
The miracle of God is flowing, thanks for sharing your blessings, please help others too ❤❤
I'm genuinely curious to know how you earn that much monthly
I Thank God for Bringing Christine Evelyn Mackie brokage service into my life, I'm happy for God's grace have found me through her.❤️😊
God has used her to save so many lives including mine, could remember when I started with her back in 2023.
I was at a Christian music concert last night. Four or so bands there. It has been a while since i listened to this kind of music. I noticed a lot of positive affirmation type of lyrics praising God with the expectation that God will be the cosmic sugar daddy guaranteeing everything in life now will be fixed for us. A song even used the word "breakthrough" and I thought I should scare up a Fighting For The Faith Prophecy Bingo card.
God might not be the cosmic sugar daddy and He might not give us our every wish or whim but as we mature we learn not to ask for things that would harm us. He does say though if we ask for a fish he won't give us a stone. Most of you on this chat are wanting to disprove God's goodness as our loving heavenly Father. If you're double minded, James says you won't get anything.
Where's the ❤ button???
I have lived with New Thought stuck in my head for decades! Thank you so much for 'splaining things - and BTW, I am so over the "declare & decree" isms!
Another BTW, if I ever feel tempted to say any affirmations again, I'll just quote scripture out loud. (One I've said many times is, "have mercy on me, a sinner...")
May God bless you, Melissa! I'm so grateful I discovered you! ❤
You are as blind as her now 😔
Excellent explanation, Melissa. Thank you for the clarification, once again redirecting our hearts to submission to God and not to our own thoughts. God bless you!
I just want to say Melissa i appreciate so much tbe blessing your videos have been in my life. I was bery deceived for a number of years by the NAR/WOF/PG/New thought teachings- although it was through your videos i learned about New thought, i didnt know what that wad before then. I feel like I've spent years unweaving the lies and decptions i fell for, and God in His grace brought me to your videos and they have helped me SO much! So thank you sooo much for what you are doing and tbe obedience you are walking in with God in doing this ministry.
Love this video. It gives me the words to use to explain (gently but firmly) why declarations are anti-Christ.
They hinder a proper prayer life, deny the Most High's sovereignty, and invert the order that the Lord's will and desire becomes our own.
You really dug into my flaw and I thank you for it. "Thinking overly positive about self can be a flaw as Christians. Because it can deceive us to think we don't have to try harder on our walk."
I probably will make a sermon on this. If I do, I will be quoting some of the things that you have said. Thank You.
Thank you, Melissa, you are direct in the nanner of one who wants to protect and provide the truth that secures our souls. Isaiah 51:15,16 I am the Lord your God who stirs up the sea so that its waves Roar. the Lord God Almighty is His Name. I have put My words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of My hand. I who set the heavens in place and who laid the foundations over and who say to Zion you are My people .
I admit to having fallen into the rabbit hole that is speaking affirmations (at the encouragement of a well-meaning therapist). I have repented since then. When I think of it, it's a palm-to-forehead thing. I should have known better, and it only made me more agitated. God's Word is what ultimately healed me. Thank You, God!
I definitely understand that "I should have known better" feeling....
Thank you for taking time to post this!!
So many in my ministry community are just like this. Declaring over and over, even including the elements of wind, rain, etc. I used to be new age and new thought. He pulled me out of that pit and put a new song in my mouth. Thanks Melissa for describing this in a way that’s easy to understand and duplicate when gently speaking out to others. ❤🙏
Right on Melissa. I left a "non denominational" church that said all of these things. They mix it so well with scripture, they blend it in sneakily. It took me over 2 years of twitching every time I heard thigns that didnt sound right befor I realized that it was because they werent right ! By the way, to this church non denominational means; Evangelical, prosperity, WoF, Charismatic, and now that I know, New Thought and New Age. They teach it all. So Thanks Sister for this word.
Great video, Melissa! Thank you! Another thing i was taught in WoF is adding visualization to your affirmations and declarations. Have a vision board and do it everyday!
Having Grown up In Mainstream Baptist/ Methodist Church..
To then move onto “Faith movement “ Churches..
Soo Good to Go back to “The Bible” and Not All these Positive Speak!
Thank you.
God Bless you. 🎉
Jesus told us in this world we will have troubles of all kinds and might even be killed for our faith. But be of good cheer he has overcome the world 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Hi from Italy, thanks for your videos and thanks for your time Melissa!
This is amazing. I am deeply blessed and will share it with my congregation
Joel 3:10
Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, “I am strong!”
This passage is about God calling the enemies of Israel to gather against him, but he is going to judge them. It is a taunt to the enemies of Israel to arm themselves and come and fight against God himself.
Melissa, thanks so much for this message, it is very timely. I have a close relative who fell into the deception. He attends a Biblically solid church but was introduced to affirmations by well meaning but misguided friends about 5 years ago and then began to further explore affirmations by reading certain books and following these teachings online. He became convicted that this was the answer to everything and foolishly quit a very secure and well paying job (but admittedly a little boring) that he had for nearly 20 years to join a new company because he was convinced through the laws of attraction and affirmations that he had not yet met his potential. That was a huge mistake, the new job was very high pressured and his bosses could be verbally abusive. My relative became overwhelmed with stress and due to a health crisis had to quit. He has tossed out all of the new thought books and is back to attending church regularly joining Bible study as he dilligently tries to find a new job. Please pray for him. Laws of affirmations and declarations can be very deceptive, Melissa please continue exposing this.
You all deceive your selves! Everyone’s name is I AM! No one can say it for YOU 😉
I’ve been a Christian since the early 80s and have ALWAYS felt a way about “name it and claim it”, “blab it and grab it”. It’s always felt, I don’t know, mystical or new age-y to me, but to mention low key manipulative, if that makes sense (as if we could actually manipulate God). It never sat right in my spirit and this just affirms all that for me. Thank you.
God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven❣️
I’ve been a Christian for a handful of years now & I’m new to apologetics. It’s so interesting to learn the many forms by which folks (myself included) can become deceived! I’ve heard of New Age, but not New Thought. Thanks for bringing this up.
Thank you for this video! I recently started falling for this without realizing it, thinking this is what God actually wants us to do and oh man, what a nightmare. My brain went haywire about every thought that wasnt positive and I started blaming myself for not having enough "faith" and thinking all the responsibility was on me because "God put it my control" and it created literal terror in my mind.
What we need to speak is life’s which is found in the Word of God.
Kind of generic, doesn't say much....just a platitude.
God says I’m saved so
I say I’m saved. God says I’m healed and so I’m healed. God says I’m blessed and I’m the head and not the tail. Nothing wrong with saying this out loud.
So should we try these as well so we don't pick and choose?
God says I'm hated by the world (John 15:19), therefore I'm hated. God says persecution will come (2Tim 3;12), therefore I'm persecuted
Unfortunately, scripture does not say that when you're pulling verses out of context.
It's important to always read the verse IN CONTEXT.
@@samueluchenna3449well, yeah!
Nice!!!!!
@@samueluchenna3449 Sure. It’s not something I need reminding of on the daily but if you do, sure.
Hi Melissa, Thank you for addressing this topic. I've heard pastors, preachers, and Christian influencers talk about affirmations and declarations. I even had a pastor who I've known for quite a while try to heal me with declarations, and it caused me to view him in a different light. He also had some people convinced that gold dust manifested at our church on several occasions. There were times when I questioned whether my faith was weak because I didn't buy into these things; however, I just didn't feel convicted in regard to them. I even tried praying as though something was so that obviously wasn't, and I didn't feel right doing it. It honestly had me conflicted. Thanks again for clarifying the issues with this practice. I will meditate on this so I will be prepared to set others straight, including the pastor.
Yes…all this (waves hands dramatically in the air). This is what is kicking me in the gut every time someone tells me to ‘declare it’.
I often tell my congregation that God is not our genie. If that were the case, then we would be the master, not Him.
"I often tell my congregation that God is not our genie." I'm curious if you ever provide credible evidence that god is real? Can you do that now? Thank you.
@@TboneWTFAre you asking because you want to know God if He actually exists and worship Him? Or are you hiding behind the excuse of "no evidence for God" when there is plenty and you just dont want God in your life?
I dont mean to sound rude but be extremely honest with yourself. Because even if I gave you evidence of His existence, would it be of use if you dont want to be with Him?
@@dominikwisniewski1818 "Are you asking because you want to know God ..." I haven't decided yet, but what is your evidence? Do you have any? I'd be very interested in hearing it. Thanks.
Thank you dear Melissa absolute great video, thank you for making this video & explaining it so clearly. I was caught up in this teaching from the church I went. This whole declaring decree things is not prayer it’s actually focusing on what you want.
I'll admit, I had a hardened heart at the beginning of this video so much so that I skipped along through waiting to hear something to disagree with. But I was thoroughly grateful for your breakdown of common verses used to back up this 'new thought' deception to play God. I appreciate the distinctions you've made and the explanations of how dangerous it is to try to sit in the seat of God and make Him bend to my desires and beliefs vs complete submission and surrender to His authority, sovereignty and will for all things. It's the switch from self-centered me-ology to God and theology.
Spot on Mellisa, talk about rightly dividing the Word, always suspected there is something wrong with this.
This is such a good message. Thank you! I hope and pray that many people who have been deceived by such things hear it. God bless you!
I thought Joel 3:10 says "let the weak say, I am strong"
💯
Excellent Melissa, waiting for your book!
THANK YOU! So true. God bless you and your ministry. It is SO needed.
I learned about this for the first time working at the office of a conservative denomination. But they referred to it as positive thinking. Have to say, it caused me a lot more stress and pressure than anything else. When I heard the declare stuff, I was able to blow that off easily due to my previous experience.
This was right on time! Thank you for your content!
Another clear analysis that wakes us up. Love it.