Verses for Manifestation Download the Selfpause Affirmation App Prayer and manifestation may appear to be similar at first glance, but they are quite different. A prayer is an act of communication with a higher power, whereas manifestation is the act of bringing something into existence through positive thinking and visualization. The main difference between prayer and manifestation is that prayer is focused on asking for something, while manifestation is focused on creating something. Manifestation is often seen as a more proactive approach to achieving goals, whereas prayer is seen as more passive.