We live in a world obsessed with power and prosperity. The more people have, the more they seem to want. Our desire to excel and be the best version of ourselves has been the center of our existence for centuries. It is no surprise then that media outlets are constantly bombarding the audience with positive self-help courses and books. These books promise to empower you to achieve your dreams, all within your reach. These self-help gurus seem to have all the answers. All you have to do is simply purchase one of their courses or books to start your journey to a better life. The question is, what are they really teaching? Well, the term has shapeshifted a bit over the centuries and has been repackaged. It is now called the law of attraction (LOA).

What is the Law of Attraction?

Musicians, Hollywood actors, sports celebrities, and nearly every popular figure in society have spoken about this principle, and they all agree that it really works! The idea behind this is that you can bring a positive outcome into your life by simply “claiming” it as your own and believing it will happen. In other words, you have full control of your destiny and where your life will go. The more you think about it and speak about it, the more this thought will manifest in the real world. They claim the universe gives you what you want; you just need to “will it” into existence. It sounds very harmless on the surface. What could be wrong with believing in yourself, right? Progressive Christians even throw spirituality into the mix, saying this concept is faith. But the question is, what is faith in?

The foundation of this principle centers around the individual and their ability to think positively as well as envision their own reality. It is ultimately faith in yourself. This is where we find the first contradiction to the bible. Jesus Christ taught us that the faith of a mustard seed can move a mountain. So thus, many in the progressive Christian world think that manifesting their own reality is a godly concept. However, what faith was Jesus referring to in that verse? Jesus was referring to faith in God, not in oneself. Faith and belief have everything to do with the will of God over your life. Your life does not belong to you. It belongs to God. Thus, we are not in control of our destiny. The bible says that Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of our faith. He determines our steps and sets our path straight if we trust in Him and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). When we lean fully on our own understanding and intellect, things start to go wrong in our lives. The core of this principle, however, is to believe in your ability to create (or manifest) things. We effectively go from being God’s creation to creators. Thus, we become gods. Who does that remind us of? The devil comes to mind. Lucifer fell from Heaven and became Satan because he wanted to be God. By practising this principle in our lives, we defy God. There is a significant difference between praying and trusting God for the outcome according to His will and trying to manifest something according to your will. Usually, your will is the will of the flesh.

When you try to manifest things, you pull God out of the equation. You strip God of His sovereignty. We must remember that God is sovereign over everything. He is in control of every circumstance and outcome. When we remember this, we become aware of the power of God, we are humbly reminded that any good that comes into our lives is through God and not only our actions. The only reason manifesting works (if it does work) is because you are calling on the god of this world to give you what you want. The bible tells us, “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe.” (2 Corinth 4:4 (NLT)). Once we become disobedient to the word of God by trying to will things into existence, we follow a different spirit, it is not the spirit of God, this is also clear in scripture, “the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2). We constantly hear statements such as, “I manifested this house or this car,” or “I can ‘will’ anything into existence by simply repetitively chanting it (affirmations).” “Speak your truth, speak it into existence, put it on your vision board.” Sadly, these statements are emphasized in popular culture and even more shockingly, among many Christians. The main idea behind this principle is your thoughts create your reality, which is absolutely a lie by the devil. The bible does not teach us to speak things into existence. It does, however, tell us to humbly pray and make our requests known to God. Emphasis on the word humble (humility is taught by Jesus Christ throughout the gospels). As we ask, we must remember the divinity of God. The author AW Tozer in his book “Attributes of God Volume 1” stated the following: “What good is it of we have lost awareness of the divine?” “Pray that Shepards would see the beauty of God and offer it to men instead of a better job, a better car, or a nicer house. God does do these things, but they are incidentals. The kindergarten stage of religion.”

Unfortunately, most Christians are stuck in “the kindergarten stage of religion.” This is because this law of attraction principle has found its way into church. It has craftily been embedded into movements such as the “Word of Faith” movement. Most Christians are well aware of the prosperity gospel and the leaders of the mega churches who preach it. But where did it come from? What is its origin? And most important of all “how has it crept into the church? Having experienced first-hand the destruction it caused in a church I attended for over 10 years; I needed to find answers. I believe it is important to seek truth. After all, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. I noticed that these prosperity gospel teachers were incredibly talented at twisting the Word to suit their particular narrative and message. Our study of scripture should be based on seeking God’s divine wisdom and not looking for personal gain. The shepherds that were meant to lead the flock have now become the wolves in sheep’s clothing, leading God’s people astray.

For years I was convinced that the explanation for this behaviour within the church was that they worshipped money, which was their idol. In other words, these prosperity teachers practiced idolatry. However, my research led me to shocking discoveries. This article is a compilation of a year’s worth of bible study and research in order to find the truth. The tyranny of things has enslaved society, allowing false principles like the law of attraction to flourish in both the world and the church. God’s gifts, material things, now take the place of God, which was never intended. Man’s goal is to glorify God and dwell in his presence. The devil wages war on the mind, heart, and spirit of God’s people. He keeps you distracted in a blissful state practicing the law of attraction so he can lead you through a different door. The Bible says, “enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.” (Matthew 7:13). Jesus Christ is the narrow way, the only way to our Father in heaven.

So, if the law of attraction is not from God, and it is a great deception by the devil, how has it become so embedded in modern culture and the church? What is the origin of this principle?

In order to understand this, we must understand how the devil has deceived both the believer and the non-believer with the law of attraction. It is vital for us to have compassion for both the believer and the non-believer so that we may boldly proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God to all and thus glorify Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. The devil has been sneaky in how he has indoctrinated society with the LOA. The world uses the term “law of attraction,” but the church uses the term “Faith as a Force.” However, both practice the same thing with very subtle nuances. I will start with how the world has been deceived by the Law of attraction.

Origins of the Law of Attraction

The Law of attraction is practiced mainly in New Age Spirituality. It is one of the key practices “new agers” use to get people interested in all things “new age.” This is why I believe it is the gateway to spiritual confusion, but more on that later. New age Spirituality is extremely broad, and it covers many beliefs. This is a list of the concepts of New Age Spirituality:

1. The Law of Attraction

2. Egyptian Methodology

2.1 Aliens

2.2 Archangels

2.3 Star seeds

2.3 Egyptian deities

2.4 “Secret” or Hidden Knowledge

3. New Age Healing

3.1 Reiki

3.2 Vibrations

3.3 Yoga

3.4 Crystals and Incense

4. Dark Matter and Quantum Physics

This article will specifically cover the Law of Attraction. I will cover the other concepts in the articles to follow.

What is New Age Spirituality?

New Age Spirituality is a religious movement, but its followers do not usually call themselves New Age; instead, they describe it as spiritual or as bringing together the mind, body, and spirit (hence the attack by the devil on the mind, body, and spirit). Although some prefer to refer to it as the “New Age” movement, others argue that the phrase more accurately describes a Zeitgeist (the spirit of the age). I believe it is a “spirit of the age” because it is an Antichrist spirit. According to James 3:16-17 there are two classes of wisdom: earthly, unspiritual, or devilish wisdom, and wisdom from above. It emphasisesthat where selfish ambition exists, there is disorder and every vile practice. Once we see the origins of the LOA which is grounded in selfish gains and creating a person’s destiny, you will be able to clearly see why it is earthly devilish wisdom.

The History of the LOA

The principle of the “Law of Attraction” was first introduced in 1877. The concept was mentioned in a book by Helena Blavatsky titled “the Secret doctrine,” however, she never used the term “LOA.” The book claimed to reconcile ancient eastern wisdom with modern science. A Russian mystic and writer, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky co-founded the Theosophical Society in 1875; she was also known as Madame Blavatsky. She gained popularity as the one who mostly laid the groundwork for the philosophy known as Theosophy. Theosophy draws mainly from eastern religions such as Buddhism; it teaches that there is an ancient and secretive brotherhood of spiritual adepts known as “masters.” This philosophy is remarkably similar to Gnosticism. An example of this in popular culture is in the Matrix, a film released in 1999. This movie clearly depicts Gnosticism and its core beliefs. The key concept of gnosis, that a person can access salvation through a personal spiritual revelation, is clearly depicted by Neo’s internal discovery of power. This film not only incorporates Gnostic beliefs, but it also includes a bit of Buddhism (I am sure you are starting to see the correlation with Theosophy). It basically draws on various religions and traditions to create a complex worldview. The core of the narrative is that humans mistake the “material world” for something real, but they must “wake up” from this dream with the help of a “guide.” This guide is similar to Helena Blavatsky’s “masters.” The “spirit guide” in the movie was referred to as the “Oracle.” What are spirit guides? I will name a few:

1. Archangels
2. Spirit animals
3. Ancestors
4. Ascended masters
5. Elementals (spirits who possess earthly elements: earth, water, fire, air)

This list only covers a few; there are many more. The list includes angels, which may confuse some of you, but I will explain how these terms are deceptively used to draw the unsuspecting into new age spirituality. For now, we will stay on the topic of the LOA. So, what did Madame Blavatsky teach? Well, she emphasised in the book that our thoughts about ourselves and our identity define our capabilities and reality. Sound familiar? This is the LOA in its original form. She claimed she obtained much of her “wisdom” from an ascended master called “the lodger.” He helped her author her books. In one of her writings, she states:

“Satan, the serpent of Genesis, is the real creator and benefactor. The father of spiritual mankind. For it is he who was the harbinger of light, bright and radiant. Lucifer, who opened the eyes of the woman created by Jehovah, and he who was first to whisper in her ear ‘you eat thereof, you shall be as Elohim, knowing good and evil.’

It is noticeably clear from the above statement that Helena Blavatsky was a satanist. Thus, we can logically conclude that the origin of the LOA is evil. It is no wonder then that this principle is immensely popular in Hollywood and the Music Industry. During my research, a lot of popular names came up, and I was surprised at just how much they practiced Helena’s teachings, not just the LOA, but all of her work. For example, the king of Rock n Roll, Elvis Presley. He loved her work so much, to the point that he made his friends read from “the secret doctrine” at his concerts. Over the years, the LOA has been watered down to make it more palatable to audiences. It has been repackaged so as to allure new audiences. The biggest advocate for this watered-down version of LOA was, and still is to this day, Oprah Winfrey. In 2006, The Secret by Rhonda Byrnewas published, and it sold over thirty million copies. The book gained worldwide success and was translated into fifty different languages. Oprah interviewed the author and co-authors several times on her show, only increasing its popularity. The book contained the same teaching of Helena Blavatsky, except it was reintroduced to audiences with a more universal approach. It taught that the universe would give you all that your heart desires; you simply have to “will it” or, as they claimed, “think it” into existence. Due to the success of the “The Secret,” the author, Rhonda Byrne, went on to release five more books in the series. It became like a drug to readers; the more they read, the more they needed to know. I will not go through all the books, but there is one worth mentioning here, The Power, this book claims that everything that exists came from “the Power,” so what is this power? The book teaches we should love all creations with gratitude and love. Simply put, it teaches us to love the creation and not the creator. This essentially is the worship of creation. The term for this is Pantheism. An immensely popular worldview. Pantheists believe that the universe and God are one and the same. They believe that the universe, nature, and the earth are divine and should be treated as sacred. The main belief of this worldview is that everything that exists is part of a single divine unity. It is important to understand that the worldview that you hold has much bearing on what you believe. There are five major worldviews:

1. Monotheism (western religions)
2. Gnosticism
3. Atheism
4. Pantheism (mainly eastern religions)
5. Panentheism

We have already briefly discussed two of these five worldviews, Gnosticism, and Pantheism; however, I will give some clearer definitions here. Monotheism is the belief that there is only one God. The religions that subscribe to this worldview are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Gnosticism is a prominent heretical movement of the second-century Christian church. It taught that a lesser divinity, the demiurge, created and ruled the world. They believe that the demiurge is the God of the Old Testament. Gnostics believe that Jesus Christ was an emissary of the remote supreme being, who enabled the redemption of the human spirit. They believe that Jesus is only a symbol and did not exist as a human and that salvation is obtained through “gnosis” (knowledge) and self-discovery. They also reject the death and resurrection of Christ. One belief in Gnostics in particular caught my attention. The belief in the divine feminine is the belief that there is a female in all things. It is essentially one of the beliefs in transgenderism. Their Goddess of the divine feminine is Sophia (depicted by the spirit guide called the “the oracle” in the Matrix). There is a lot to cover under the Gnostic belief system, but I have covered the essentials here for you to gain some clarity. This heretical teaching is extremely dangerous, and this is why the fathers of the early church, such as Irenaeus, were so strongly against this teaching and wrote extensively showing the difference between these false gnostic beliefs and fundamental biblical Christian teachings. Atheism is well known as the belief that there is no God or gods. Pantheism, this belief, has two definitions: it is the doctrine that identifies God with the Universe, in other words, God is everything and not a separate and divine being, and it is the worship or tolerance of many gods. The second definition is strongly correlated to Polytheism (belief in multiple gods), which is the belief system of most of the eastern world. It is important to note here that Pantheism, Polytheism, and Paganism are strongly intertwined, as they are remarkably similar. Lastly, Panentheism: this one is a little bit trickier and much harder to grasp than the other worldviews. This belief is that the universe is contained in God, but God is more than the universe. It suggests that God is involved in the Universe’s processes, and He is affected by them. This contrasts with the Bible, which states that God is not dependent on anything; He is thus non-contingent (Psalms 50:12). Panentheists also believe that God is constantly evolving, which strongly contrasts Traditional Biblical Christianity, which posits an unchanging, immutable God (Malachi 3:6). Traditional Biblical Christianity teaches that God is transcendent (Romans 11:33-35; Isaiah 55:8-9); this means that He is distinct from the Universe and all creation. God created all things and sustained them, but He is not a part of them; rather, He is above all creation (Psalms 113:4-6). This worldview is very confusing, as Christians misunderstand Panentheism with God’s omnipresence; thus, they believe it is a Christian belief. ‘Omnipresence’ means that God is present in every place at the same time. However, it is important to understand that omnipresence maintains that God is distinct from creation but present everywhere within it; thus, it does not mean that the Universe is a part of God’s being. Panentheism is steeped in mysticism and the belief in a Cosmic Universal Christ that is not the son of God but rather a “Principle” or “Force.” Later, you will be able to draw a parallel between panentheism and the beliefs in the new church movements.

I have gone off topic for a bit here, but I believe it is important to understand where concepts come from and under what umbrella of beliefs they fall. In the case of Rhoda Byrnes, the author of the Secret, she clearly believes in Pantheism. A quick google search will confirm this. She also believes in Rosicrucianism; this is a combination of Jewish mysticism and Gnosticism. Mysticism and Paganism is strongly condemned throughout the Old Testament.

I hope by now you are able to see through the example of Helena Blavatsky’s “Secret Doctrine” and Rhoda Byrnes modernized version “the Secret” that LOA is a dangerous practice with very evil origins. However, if you are still not convinced, there is much more literature from other esoteric authors that emphasize the LOA. Alice Bailey (1880-1949), a British writer and theosophist, published many books between 1919 and 1949. She claimed many of these writings were telepathically dictated by a spirit guide called Tibetan Master Djwhal Khul. Her teachings have become foundational to the New Age movement, which blends Eastern Mysticism, Theosophy, Astrology, and Esoteric Christianity. She drew much inspiration from Helena Blavatsky. The core of her teachings was as follows:

1. Humanity’s spiritual evolution, guided by “ascended masters.”
2. Energy, thought, and vibration – here she claimed the Universe responds to mental focus.
3. The coming of the New Age – here she particularly refers to the Age of Aquarius (or Manifestation), marked by a collective shift of consciousness.
4. Creative thought – here she emphasized that thoughts are energy that create your reality.

How does this connect to the LOA? Well, the principle of Bailey’s esoteric psychology is that thoughts are energy that magnetize experiences into life. Her concept of “positive thinking” and “visualization” echoes the LOA’s idea of manifesting reality through thoughts and vision boards. Both ideas stress that the mind is a creative force and not just passive awareness. Bailey’s literature has impacted musicians such as the Beatles, David Bowie, and many others. Her work has also greatly influenced authors such as Norman Vincent Peale, who wrote “The Power of Positive Thinking” (1952), and Rhonda Byrne, “The Secret”. It is now easy to see how today’s pop culture’s fascination with manifestation, vibrations, and attraction is Bailey’s mysticism repackaged. It is also important to note that Alice Bailey despised Christianity as much as Helena Blavatsky. She wrote the 10-point Plan of the New World Order, or How to Prepare the way of the Anti-Christ. Her major influence on the United Nations has already enabled them, through their power and influence in global affairs, to achieve several of the ten goals, a discovery that should startle every believer. I will not go into the details of this document, but it is easily downloaded with a simple google search for those who are interested in reading it.

There are many other key figures who have taught the concepts of the LOA, and it will be difficult to touch on all, but I will highlight a few. One such writer is Aleister Crowley, the father of satanism. He was also a student of Helena Blavatsky’s writings; he loved her work and based much of his philosophy on her writings. He founded the religion of Thelema. Crowley considered himself a prophet who would guide humanity into the Aeon of Horus in the early 20th century.  His central maxim was: “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the law, love under will.” The Love that Crowley taught was not Godly love but Man’s love of himself craftily spun as collective love for humankind. This is why empathy and love in the world are different from biblical love, as the world emphasises freedom and collective love while practising sin (Galatians 5:13 – “For we were called to freedom, brother. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another”). Our emphasis on love must be God-centered, focusing on the commandments of God. It must not be Man-centered (Jesus said “if you love me, you will keep my commandments”). Crowley’s teachings align with the LOA in that he focused on thoughts as real forces, and visualization and ritual concentration magnetize outcomes. What made him different from Blavatsky and Bailey was that he openly practiced Magick which he called the “science and the art of causing change in conformity with will.” This is essentially the same principle underpinning the LOA, “You attract what you focus on.”

The musicians notably influenced by Crowley’s teachings were the Beatles, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, and Ozzy Osbourne, who wrote a song titled “Mr. Crowley.” Other popular writers such as Paulo Coelho have been students of Crowley, deeply studying his work and repackaging his teachings into books such as “The Alchemist,” which I have read, being an avid reader myself. My initial thoughts on the book were, as many others were at the time of its popularity, that it is has biblical undertones. However, my inability to reconcile Santiago’s journey of self-discovery with the gospel is what baffled me about the book, which indirectly referred to bible stories such as the story of Abraham meeting Melchizedek. I could not place my uneasiness with the story until I recently read where the author drew his inspiration from, and it slowly started to unravel.

In his youth, Coelho was fascinated with occultism, and he plainly admitted to experimenting with rituals influenced by Crowley. He was part of a small group in Brazil exploring magic and esoteric practices before turning fully to literature. Coelho’s writings underpinned spiritual syncretism; he mixed Christian imagery with esoteric traditions, Alchemy, Sufism, and Eastern Mysticism. The core of his message is often universalist—signaling that all regions point toward the same “inner truth.” In The Alchemist, Santiago must demonstrate to the desert tribes that he has the power to turn himself into the wind. In order to achieve this, he prays not only to God but also to the desert, the wind, and finally the sun. Santiago addresses the Sun as a conscious being, capable of revealing truth and lending its strength. This dialogue with natural forces mirrors pagan personification of cosmic elements, treating the Sun as a deity or divine intermediary (Pagan Egyptian god Ra, or the Greek god Apollo). Thus, instead of a biblical prayer to the creator alone, he appeals to creation itself as sacred and instructive. Coelho repeatedly teaches that thoughts, intentions, and desires attract real-world outcomes. The famous line from the book is “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it.” So, Coelho encourages readers to visualise goals, trust omens, and follow intuition, which are all hallmarks of law of attraction thinking. Furthermore, he echoes Crowley’s Maxim (Do what thou wilt”) through his idea of following one’s Personal Legend; he simply softens it with a moral-spiritual veneer. In summary, Paulo Coelho’s new age beliefs, specifically the LOA, are a popularised, narrative-friendly adaptation of older esoteric traditions. While Coelho strips away Crowley’s darker, more elitist tones, he channels the same core idea: that aligning human will with universal forces unlocks destiny.

Napoleon Hill (1937), Dale Carnegie (1936), and Norman Vincent Peale (1952) were among the renowned authors who wrote extensively on the LOA. Peale blended LOA language with Christian vocabulary, emphasising psychological well-being and success principles over repentance and biblical doctrine. He was openly influenced by new thought writers. Many critics of Peale have said that he replaced Christianity with a “cult of self-affirmation.” Peale was one of the key figures who opened the doorway to self-help spirituality in the church, a topic I will discuss in Part 2 of this article.

Common false claims of the LOA

The universe emerged from thought – this stems from quantum physics, which the author of “the Secret,” Rhonda Byrnes, says she understands completely. This is false, as actual qualified physicists admit they do not fully understand quantum physics. LOA gurus teach that everything has to be observed in order for it to exist. However, qualified physicists say that this theory does not imply that human beings have to be observers.

Everything is energy – If everything is energy and the universe cannot exist without an observer; this means that energy needs to be observing energy in order to exist. If that is the case, then how can energy be creating energy if it cannot be created or destroyed?

These points are a bit on the technical side, but I wanted to show here how these LOA gurus deceive people into believing that the concept of LOA is true and verified by science.

The Dangers of LOA

The Law of Attraction has evolved into a mainstream spiritual concept with strong cultural roots. In TV shows and movies, it appears in documentaries, spiritual programming, and narrative echoes. In music, it is amplified through lyrics and the practices of artists and fans. Finally, in literature, which is its strongest outlet, it is explicit, imitative, and often marked as life-changing. The LOA’s cultural pull rests on the promise of conscious agency, the appeal of positive thinking, and the desire for a sense of control or alignment in life. If someone does not “manifest” success, the implicit message is that they did not think right, which is victim-blaming. The individual becomes stuck in a “mind trap,” unable to express frustrations when things go wrong because those are considered “negative energy.”

This evil and deceptive principle leads many to depression and anxiety. How does it do this? Well, The LOA creates a dangerous delusion that your life will always be filled with wonderful things and successes. Often, when these things do not become a reality, the mental state of the individual starts to shift. It should be noted here that some people who practise LOA do have highly successful lives, but many a time it is due to hard work and effort and not LOA. However, if they fully believe that the LOA brought all their success, they are likely to believe that the areas in which they lack are solely due to their inability to manifest those things into reality, which can lead to a great deal of mental stress and anxiety. Not only does practising the LOA lead to depression and anxiety, but it has also been known to cause spiritual psychosis. This phenomenon primarily occurs among believers, but it can also occur  in non-believers, often taking on a more demonic form. Over time, as their worldview shifts from dependence on God to belief in self as God, the mind becomes the new altar. This distortion can lead to a spiritual identity crisis. They begin to fear their own emotions, suppressing grief, doubt, or repentance because they think it will “manifest negativity.” This leads to cognitive dissonance and, in extreme cases, spiritual psychosis, where they can no longer discern between faith and fantasy. Spiritual psychosis is a distorted perception of divine reality leading them to occult experiences presented as “divine downloads.”

We must understand that true biblical faith rests on God’s character and promises, not on emotions or frequency. The LOA effectively replaces God’s will with Personal will, subtly rebranding rebellion as “manifestation.”

Conclusion                 

The Law of Attraction belief that thoughts and emotions attract corresponding realities rose to global prominence through pop culture, especially with The Secret (2006) and celebrity endorsements by figures like Oprah Winfrey. Popular media, music, and social platforms normalised phrases like “manifest it” and “speak it into existence,” presenting spirituality as self-empowerment. Beneath its polished surface, however, this idea springs from New Age and occult roots, teaching that reality bends to human will and vibrational energy.

 Its deeper origins trace back to Helena Blavatsky’s Theosophy, which proposed a universal divine energy linking all minds; Alice Bailey’s esoteric writings, which predicted a coming “Age of Manifestation;” and Aleister Crowley’s Thelema, which taught that a person’s will is the highest law. These thinkers framed the human mind as a creative force — a subtle form of self-deification — an idea later softened and popularised by self-help authors like Napoleon Hill and Norman Vincent Peale, blending mysticism with motivational psychology.

From there, these concepts filtered into the modern church, particularly through the Word of Faith and prosperity gospel movements, where positive confession and “declaring” blessings mirror the Law of Attraction’s core tenets. Though often wrapped in biblical language, the focus on “speaking things into existence” and “manifesting miracles” shifts the emphasis from God’s sovereignty to human control. What began as occult metaphysics has become a mainstream mindset— shaping not only popular culture but also parts of contemporary Christianity itself.

Part 2 of this article will focus on the LOA and how it has embedded itself in the church, discussing key church leaders who have shaped these movements as early as the 18^th century.