Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

By Paula M. Allen

Do you have beliefs that destroy your dreams, aspirations of getting well or achieving your goals in life?
Negative thinking can impair success and healing in every area of your life. The medical and counseling
community refer to negative thinking as “pathological beliefs or thoughts”. In the inner healing community
we call it “negative belief systems. These negative belief systems, toxic thoughts, patho-logics create an
environment of destruction, failure and disease in our lives. They create roadblocks to healing and soul
prosperity. Our negative belief systems are encoded into our neurology, so they impact everything we do.
Our neurology determines our physiology, so negative beliefs are lies that thwart God’s purpose in our lives.
Here are some examples of toxic thinking or patho logics:

“I’m a failure.”
“Life is hopeless”
“What if I don’t make it?”
“I can’t trust God, he failed me before, He’ll do it again.”
“What if I don’t make it”
“I can’t overcome this sin in my life.”
“I’ll never get well, and even if I do I can’t prevent a relapse.”
“What if I make an investment in this and it doesn’t work out?
“My mother was always depressed. I guess that is why I am depressed all the time”
“I’m damaged, no one could ever love me, I’m unlovable.”
“I don’t want to be wealthy, because all rich people are crooks.”
“They’ll never accept me for who I am.”
“I’ll always be addicted to….”
“God can’t forgive me of this.”
“Jesus’ love is for everybody but me. He couldn’t love somebody like me.”
“God made me sick to teach me a lesson.”
“Bad things always happen to me.”
“My grandmother had it, my father suffered from it, and I will probably die with it too!”

In Proverbs, the scripture says “For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”. God knew that after the fall man
would need a “mind transplant”. When he established His kingdom on earth…it became “at hand” through
“repentance”. We would need a kingdom mindset, so that we could “see” the kingdom. This is the main
reason why the first messages preached by John the Baptist and Jesus were “Repent for the Kingdom”. After
the fall of Adam, mankind became diseased in our “thinking”. The word repent means to “change your mind”.
The devil’s scheme was brilliant, if he could distort, by illusion (a lie) the image of man in his own eyes, man
would no longer believe His image reflected the righteousness and perfection of the blessed Trinity. God had
no problem with man being as God. But He did have a problem with man being as God, without Him. God
wanted man, to be a co-creator (Elohim Junior) and master of the earth that’s why He gave him dominion to
rule and reign. God, however, never intended for man to be without Him as the life(Christ), His mind or His
Holy Spirit.

Pathological thinking and toxic thoughts, are misrepresentations. While they are misrepresentations, they
appear to be TRUTH, creating a virtual reality, an illusion or a distorted representation of the real thing. In
photography, it is called a “negative”. In proper contest of our lives as Christians these “negatives” or
misrepresentations are devoid of spiritual reality, and they create a physical (virtual) reality that keeps us
locked or boxed into a lie. These misrepresentations, are mental constructs. I like how the Message Bible
puts it.

2Co 10:5-6 We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down
barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the
structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every
obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

If you’ve read this far you are on your way to inner and physical healing. Your blessing will be found in the
exercises that follow. God desires for you to be whole spirit, soul and body. Scientists, doctors and
counselors call this “psychoneuroimmunology”. All external behavior or outcomes are a result of our internal
state or inner world! In order to affect a change, our minds must be renewed (Romans 12:1). The Lord
requires that we become involved with the renewing of our minds. Are you ready to change directions and
get on with a life filled with the promises of God?

Are you ready to smash the limiting belief systems? Our God certainly wants to replace…
• despair with light at the end of the tunnel
• hopelessness with optimism
• helplessness with empowerment

Seven Questions that Will Transform Your Life Forever

I can tell you what you need to do or where to go until the cows come home. Without giving you the how-
tos, is like putting you in a row boat without oars and you’ll go where the current takes you. You must have a
practical how-to to apply any Biblical Principle. I’m not saying this is the only way to get to your destination.
What I am saying is that these exercises have helped many to enhance their Emotional Intelligence, find “soul”
freedom and healing in their physical bodies.

The first thing required is a belief system check up, so that you can determine whether you really are ready
for transformation. I advise that you find a quiet place to do this. Ask Holy Spirit to bring to your mind every
negative belief that is keeping you from going forward in the things of God and your life. As He brings them
up write each one down in a journal or a piece of paper. Now ask Holy Spirit to help you to answer the
following questions in the spirit of truth….then write your answers beside them.

1. What is the positive intent of this belief? (if nothing comes up....say “Nothing”)

2. Is this belief serving me well? If so, how? If not, why?

3. Is this belief factually correct according to the evidence, including Scripture? If so, how? If not, why?

4. Will this belief help me protect myself against self-inflicted misery, sabotage and or illness? If so, how?
If not, why?

5. Will this belief help me reach my goals in the short-term and in the long range?

6. Will this belief help me remain in harmony, and at peace with God and, as much as possible with other
people?

7. Will this belief help me maintain the emotions I want to feel?

(*These questions with slight modifcations, were gleaned from Bodenhamer & Hall’s “User’s Manual for the
Brain” and William Backus book, “The Healing Power of a Christian Mind”.)

Go through this process with every negative belief that Holy Spirit presents to you. At the end of dismantling
each negative belief system process, submit the negative thought to Jesus and ask Him for a kingdom truth that
you can own and embody.

Embodying and Embedding the Truth (Prophetic Acts)

Ask God to allow you to experience the truth of being free of the negative belief. Let’s perform a prophetic
act. Stand up (if you can) so you can experience this truth in your neurology and walk in it. Ask Holy Spirit
to download it into you on a sensory level. How does embracing the truth make you feel? What do you see?
What colors come to mind? What are you feeling and where do you feel it? What is God saying to you now
that you are free? In the future, what will you hear friends, family or co-workers saying about you. What
colors come to mind? What sensations rise up? Close your eyes and see yourself unhindered and
unrestricted in this truth. Imagine how good you’ll feel as you walk in this truth. It’s good to walk in this
reality, isn’t it? Now allow this truth to overtake you, overwhelm you as you feel it in your toes, ankles and
legs and thighs working this truth and freedom through every cell, surging and energizing every organ, every
muscle, every bone, vertebrae and your body thoroughly until every thought and internal representation, and
meaning is saturated with the truth. Now invite the manifest presence of God to permeate and seal His truth
in you for His Glory. If you are having problems realizing this, go to the New Life Pathways website, and listen
to the audio version of the FREE MP3 file Entitled “Overcoming Limiting Beliefs”, which is also available for
download.

Applying God’s Word to My Limiting Beliefs

Now study to show yourself approved unto God. Use your concordance and find corresponding scriptures,
to solidify the truth replacement, so that God can enlarge Himself in you. Step into the scripture with the
new belief or truth God has revealed to you through the previous exercise(s)

I have chosen a limiting belief that is common as an example. “Jesus’ love is for everybody but me. He couldn’t
love somebody like me”.

Here are a few scriptures that will “counter” and to overcome the limiting beliefs to apply God’s truth to the
matter.

Jer 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:
therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. KJV

Eze 16:5-8 5 No one cared a fig for you. No one did one thing to care for you tenderly in these ways. You
were thrown out into a vacant lot and left there, dirty and unwashed--a newborn nobody wanted. 6 "'And
then I came by. I saw you all miserable and bloody. Yes, I said to you, lying there helpless and filthy, "Live! 7
Grow up like a plant in the field!" And you did. You grew up. You grew tall and matured as a woman, full-
breasted, with flowing hair. But you were naked and vulnerable, fragile and exposed. 8 "'I came by again and
saw you, saw that you were ready for love and a lover. I took care of you, dressed you and protected you. I
promised you my love and entered the covenant of marriage with you. I, GOD, the Master, gave my word.
You became mine. MSG

Joh 15:9-11 9 "I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. 10 If
you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done--kept my Father's
commands and made myself at home in his love. 11 "I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy
might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature.
Rev 3:19 - 20 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I
stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will
sup with him, and he with me.

It is important that we apply the word and install it into our senses (visual, auditory and feelings).

1. Take time to “sensitize yourself” in the scripture. You may ask “What does an everlasting love or his
lovingkindness look like? What does it feel like? What does it sound like? Where do I see it, Where
do I hear it, where do I feel it ask Holy Spirit to reveal his everlasting love to you so you can
experience it.
2. Once you’ve “sensitized yourself”, what happens when you bring this scripture truth to bear upon the
limiting belief of “Jesus’ love is for everybody but me?”
3. Now say YES with all of your being to that truth. Bask, bathe and soak in that truth.
4. Now say NO with all of your being to the lie or limiting belief.

My Personal Testimony
I suffered from speech blocks, similar to the kind of blocks stutterer’s find difficult to overcome. I had a fear
of speaking in our management team meetings. I felt somewhat intimidated, and that what I had to say was of
little value. The majority of my peers were engineers, with years of technical experience, I came from an
administrative background. I was fearful of sounding “stupid” when commenting on certain subjects, that I was
less familiar with. I did not have this problem in my church community and have run revivals, meetings
seminars and teaching under the banner of “Christ”. I had segmented my life into secular and Christian, and
relied heavily upon the anointing when I was the featured speaker in the church settings. Speaking in the
professional environment was a different story.

Just over a year ago, I attended a training that Bob Bodenhamer and Mike Davis were facilitating in Charlotte,
North Carolina . He asked for a volunteer. I raised my hand and went forward. He asked me to state my
problem, and I shared it with him. I told him I didn’t want to sound stupid. He asked me what was that about.
Suddenly, I heard in my right ear, the voices of both my mother and aunt saying “little girls are seen, not
heard”. I was astonished, I saw myself I was six years old, and I had interrupted a “grown-ups conversation”,
and they said those words to me. I realized that those very same words and been spoken to me on several
occasions. I repeated what I heard to Bob. He responded, and asked me how old I was. I responded 50+,
he said you are no longer six years old, you are 50+, now apply the resources of the 50+ woman to the team
meetings. WOW what a major revelation. You do not have to rely on the resources of a six year old. I
really did have a choice, and my voice had value. Why would I rely on the resources of a six year old? I was
hired for my experience and wisdom. I had something to say that was equally important as anyone else on the
management team. I was an exceptional leader.

Those who overcome, have stepped into their God-given volition (choice). They realize that they can choose
and can become co-creators of their environment, success and health, as they cooperate with God. We are
joint-heirs with Christ Jesus. We inherit all the riches of His glorious kingdom, along with Him for every area
of our lives. He wouldn’t have it any other way, in fact He died for it. We are part of the church of the
firstborn, because of the finished work of Christ. His mercies are new on every morning. You can begin
again each day, it’s part of our daily bread and provision from our heavenly Father.

Prayer
Father, In the matchless, all powerful name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. I thank you for the value that
you have placed on the life and mind of every person reading this article. I thank you that we are all unique,
precious, wondrous and fearfully made. I thank you for putting everything you are into making us just like you,
for your good pleasure. Lord you ensured that we would have your life and nature, by dying and installing your
precious Holy Spirit into us. Help us as we exercise our spirits and faith to be transformed in every way, in
our mind-bodies and our spirit so that we can conform to your image and reflect your life day by day. Amen.

About the Author:

Paula M. Allen, “the awakener”, is an ordained minister and certified neuro-semantics coach and owner of
New Life Pathways Coaching and Training. She has been in ministry for 20 years and was ordained in 1990.
She and her husband are directors of the Healing Rooms of Alaska, a transcongregational healing ministry in
Anchorage, Alaska. Her mission statement is: Awakening, enlightening, edifying and empowering believers
into free, holy and fearless living. Visit her website: http://newlifepathways.net