A couple of years ago, I was told to watch a certain video at work to see if would make an appropriate workshop for our family support program. The title of the video said it was about forecasting your life with a vision board. At first, I thought that the short workshop would simply be about making and visualizing your goals so that you can achieve them. But as I worked my way through it, I realized that I was greatly mistaken.
Throughout the video, the speaker described her very positive experiences using a vision board. Basically, she would get a corkboard and fill it with dozens of pictures of things that she wanted in her life. Then, she talked about how all of these things happened or fell into her lap without really having to do anything for them. Knowing that I worked with low-income families and that it was highly improbable that they could receive a luxury vehicle or European vacation by pasting a couple pictures on the wall, I swiftly advised my supervisor that we should not utilize the video.
The idea of making a vision board may sound ridiculous. You may wonder how anyone could believe that cutting out a couple pictures of nice things will lead to actually receiving them. But this kind of belief is actually more common than you might think, even in Christian circles. This belief, which has been dubbed “name it and claim it,” is quite popular in many megachurches across the country, and it is an extremely dangerous view of the Christian faith.
What exactly is “name it and claim it?” This false doctrine has gained notoriety through the teachings of Word of Faith pastors—like Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, T.D. Jakes, Joyce Meyer, and Paula White—and is often associated with the prosperity gospel. Name it and claim it is essentially the belief that if you pray for something with enough faith, you are guaranteed to receive it—if you name it, then you’ll be able to claim it. Some teachers will refer to this doctrine as manifestation or attraction (which are actually well-known New Age practices).
Name it and claim it is rooted in the misunderstanding and misinterpretation of several Bible verses. One of these used and abused verses is Matthew 7:7—
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (ESV)
At first glance, this verse seems to affirm the doctrine of name it and claim it. It seems to suggest that God will give you whatever you wish for, like a genie in a lamp. However, when you examine the verse in context, you will quickly realize that this is not the case. The passage goes on to say that our Father in heaven gives good gifts to His children (v. 11), but as we all know, parents have a far better idea of what is good than children do. Kids think it would be great to eat candy for breakfast, run around with scissors, and skip school whenever they feel like it, but parents know that this kind of behavior is neither healthy nor good. It’s the same way with God! God, like the good Father that He is, will only give us what contributes to our ultimate good (Romans 8:28), not what may lead us into sin and temptation. Therefore, we must make our requests to Him in humility, seeking His will and trusting that God will provide what is best.
Another misinterpreted verse, which I’ve written about more in depth, is Psalm 37:4, which says,
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
Again, at face value this verse seems to say that God will grant you all your heart’s greatest desires, like a magical fairy godmother. But this is just not true. This verse calls us to delight ourselves in the Lord, which, as the rest of Psalm 37 makes clear, means that we are to turn from sin, obey God’s Word, and wait on Him. As we do these things, God transforms our desires to align with His. Essentially, what this verse is really saying is that when you delight in the Lord, He will give you Himself.
“Name it and claim it” is a false doctrine that is rooted in misinterpreted Scripture. If you name something, you have no real power to claim it. You are not able to speak things into existence or manifest something in your life. God is not your fairy godmother or genie in a lamp, and there is no level of faith that will guarantee a positive answer to your prayers.
Does this mean that we can’t pray for big things? Certainly not! God is a big, all-powerful God, and He is very capable of doing big things. He is a miracle-worker, and what is impossible for man is possible with Him (Luke 18:27). God calls us to be constant in prayer (Romans 12:12), pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and pray in faith without losing heart (James 1:6, Luke 18:1). As I mentioned above, God loves to give His children good things, and He does answer our prayers. Prayer works, and prayer is powerful.
“The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” James 5:16b
As you are praying to the Lord about your wants and desires, I urge you to do two things. One, ask yourself if what you are requesting aligns with Scripture and pleases the Lord. The Bible warns against selfish prayers because God will not answer prayers that are born out a sinful or fleshly desire (James 4:3). Examine the Word of God to see if you’re praying rightly or if you need to change what you’re praying for. Two, remember that God’s answer to your prayers, even if they are righteous and godly, may not be yes. If you have been praying for something that aligns with Scripture but has not been given to you yet, you must trust God’s will. Trust that His will is good, holy, and righteous and that everything in your life (or not in your life) is for your good and your sanctification.
Pray big and trust the Lord.
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-9
