Get Rid of ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts)

This page has been inspired by Dr. Robis (http://www.drrobi.com/) teaching, as recorded at
the Hillsong Healing Seminar on 22nd September 2010
(DVD available at Hillsong Hills Campus, Sydney).
ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts) are very persistent pests and they have to be
exterminated and removed from our self-talk (i.e. consciousness) without sparing the effort.
These automatic thoughts of worry, self-criticism, powerlessness, perfectionism etc. invade
our thinking and suggest themselves as the best answer to any situation we face in our daily
lives (see some examples in the following PDF file). However, this is far from truth.
Also, even though you might think this is you talking to yourself (i.e. thats why its called
self-talk), these thoughts are nothing but an echo of the words youve heard (perhaps
decades ago) from your parents, pears, teachers, persons of authority, loved ones and other
people from your environment. You took them in and accepted them as truth (and
something very applicable to yourself), but you are essentially repeating to yourself what
these people thought and told you a long time agowhich is nothing to do with your true
self.
A dose of healthy critique is good, as it helps us see what we are doing wrong (so that we
could make corrective changes), however dwelling on the negative all of the time is not even
slightly beneficial. Because youve repeated (in your mind) these negative thoughts so many
times (since youve first heard them), theyve become your habitual thought pattern (i.e. an
automatic thinking loop). And you enter this loop every time you find yourself in a situation
that is similar (or it looks like it might be similar!) to the original one, when you first received
the judgment and youve accepted it as true.
In other words, its like doing a google search in your head and automatically opening the
first link (that comes out of your memory) without too much analyzing if the descriptions
under the second or third link (and so on) suggest answers that are better suited to the
entered search keywords. So, by repeating the action of thinking/feeling (with acceptance)
the same negative thought about yourself over and over again, youve assigned it a high
rank (i.e. helped it wire firmly into your brain) so that it now comes up as the first search
result in almost all of the searches (i.e. thinking) that go inside your head.

But, do not despair; you can get rid of ANTs, regardless of how firmly they are entrenched in
your consciousness. The first step is to recognize that these ANTs and not the real you; they
are just reflections of your past experiences. Therefore, you should start applying a filter to
your thinking (to catch negative thoughts when they occur and reject them) and also supply
positive thoughts (see below), which will strengthen you and teach you about your true
worth and your true place in Gods creation. However, if the situation is really desperate and
you are really close to the edge, you should seek an immediate help of a professional. After
you get that initial help you should start using affirmations as part of your efforts to change
your thinking.
If you search the Internet you will find different suggestions on how to get rid of ANTs, so on
this page we would like to concentrate on using scriptural affirmations for such a job. Bible
contains true words of encouragement and healing that God wanted us to hear. Listening to
these words repeatedly (during day and night) will help one better understand Gods will,
which will strengthen and uplift him/her.
The table below lists the ANTs and their matching insecticide found in the scripture. Use
your MiAffirmations tool (either free or paid version) to record (and listen to) either the
original Bible verses listed in the second column or derived healing affirmations listed in the
third column. Depending on who will record affirmations, the pronoun me could be
changed to you (or something else) so that it matches the target listener(s). Its all about
what would work best for the listener (so that they are able to strongly relate to the given
affirmation).
God bless you and heal you!
Automatic Negative
Thought (ANT)

Healing scripture

Healing affirmation
based on that scripture

No one really loves me.

For God so loved the world that He

gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should
God loves me.
not perish but have everlasting life
(John 3:16).

I cant go on.

And He said to me, My grace is

Gods grace is sufficient

sufficient for you, for My strength is

made perfect in weakness.
Therefore most gladly I will rather and He gives me
boast in my infirmities, that the
strength.
power of Christ may rest upon me
(2 Corinthians 12:9).

I cant figure things out.

Trust in the Lord with all your

heart, And lean not on your own
understanding; In all your ways
acknowledge Him, And He shall
direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

God directs my steps.

I cant do it.

I can do all things through Christ

who strengthens me (Philippians
4:13).

I can do all things through

God who strengthens me.

I dont have enough faith.

For I say, through the grace given

to me, to everyone who is among
you, not to think of himself more
God has given everyone,
highly than he ought to think, but to including me, a measure
think soberly, as God has dealt to of faith.
each one a measure of faith
(Romans 12:3).

I no longer have anything

Give, and it will be given to you:

good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, and running over
will be put into your bosom. For
with the same measure that you
use, it will be measured back to
you (Luke 6:38).

I give and it will be given

to me.

Its impossible.

But Jesus looked at them and

said, With men it is impossible,
but not with God; for with God all
With God all things are
things are possible (Mark 10:27).
possible.
But He said, The things which are
impossible with men are possible
with God (Luke 18:27).

Im too tired.

Come to Me, all you who labor

and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. Take My yoke upon
you and learn from Me, for I am
gentle and lowly in heart, and you
will find rest for your souls. For My
yoke is easy and My burden is
light (Matthew 11:28-30).

Im too weak

God is our refuge and strength, a

God is my refuge and He
very present help in trouble (Psalm is my strength; my ever
46:1).
present help.

Im not worthy of God.

For the mountains shall depart

and the hills be removed, but My
Gods unfailing love and
kindness shall not depart from you,
peace will be forever with
nor shall My covenant of peace be
me.
removed, says the Lord, who has
mercy on you (Isaiah 54:10).

God gives me rest.

Im not able.

And God is able to make all grace

abound toward you, that you,
always having all sufficiency in all
things, may have an abundance
for every good work (2 Corinthians
9:8).

Im able as, by Gods

grace, I have sufficiency
in all things and
abundance for every good
work.

Im not worth it.

And we know that all things work

together for good to those who
love God, to those who are the
called according to His purpose
(Romans 8:28).

Im worthy and Im aligned

with the purpose that God
gave me.

I cant forgive myself.

No more shall every man teach

his neighbor, and every man his
brother, saying, Know the Lord,
for they all shall know Me, from the
least of them to the greatest of
them, says the Lord. For I will
forgive their iniquity, and their sin I God forgives all my sins.
will remember no more (Jeremiah
31:34).
If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our
sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

I cant manage.

And my God shall supply all your

need according to His riches in
glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians
4:19).

Im afraid.

God caters for all my

needs.

For God has not given us a spirit of I am courageous because

fear, but of power and of love and God has given me a spirit

of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

of power and of love and

of a sound mind.

Im worried and frustrated.

casting all your care upon Him, for

He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

Im casting my cares on
God: He is helping me.

I dont know the way.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and Gods word is a lamp unto

a light to my path (Psalm 119:105). my feet.

Im overwhelmed.

These things I have spoken to

you, that in Me you may have
peace. In the world you will have
tribulation; but be of good cheer, I
have overcome the world (John
16:33).

Im not smart enough.

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus,

who became for us wisdom from
Godand righteousness and
sanctification and redemption
God gives me wisdom.
that, as it is written, He who
glories, let him glory in the Lord (1
Corinthians 1:30-31).

I feel alone.

Let your conduct be without

covetousness; be content with
such things as you have. For He
Himself has said, I will never
leave you nor forsake you
(Hebrews 13:5).

God is always with me.

He is with me and thinks
of me 24/7.

I dont belong to God.

But now, thus says the Lord, who

God has summoned me

I can overcome any

obstacle because Jesus
overcame the world.

created you, O Jacob, and He who

formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for
I have redeemed you; I have called by my name; I am His.
you by your name; you are Mine
(Isaiah 43:1).