Just like a computer has operating software that allows it to function and carry out specific tasks, we have spiritual operating software that God has given us the challenge to write. Our mind, emotions, and will are constantly being told how to function based on what we believe to be true. Our beliefs become our operating software that controls our lives. Our mind, will and emotions will operate as if whatever we believe is true, even if it is a lie. The story of Cinderella reveals the limiting effects of living a life based on the lies others convince us of but the story also tells us of the liberating effects of discovering our true identity.
Our first chance at rewriting the code of our spiritual software begins at salvation when the free gift of eternal life is received by grace and truth gets written into our code with the potential of changing the way we operate.
Just like the software updates that are needed for our computers to keep everything functioning in a current fashion, we have to constantly update our spiritual software to keep our lives functioning properly. We are constantly under demonic attack with viruses that seek to destroy our operating software and shut us down. If we don’t download the latest updates for our operating software by constantly orienting to the truth we will eventually become unable to function properly.
Every event and our belief about it is written on the computer of our soul as operating software. It is not so much the events of our lives that affect our software, as it is our belief about the events that affect how we will function in the future. We cannot operate in contradiction to our beliefs just like a computer cannot operate in contradiction to its software. To change the function of the computer, you have to change the code of the software.
God meant for each one of us to be in charge of our own software. It is not the responsibility of anyone else to keep us up to date and functioning. That is our task. That is not to say that pastors and teachers don’t have a role in conveying information that can help us, but it is our responsibility to write the truth of it on our souls.
But many of us, like Cinderella, let others tinker with our code. We let the lies of others write the operating software that limits our lives. Instead of seeing ourselves as redeemed, beloved children of the creator, we allow the world to convince us we are useless and we have the past code to prove it. Self-limiting lies can be the virus in our spirits that cause us to malfunction and shut down and not live out the abundant lives that God intends.
An example would be of anyone who had a father that would never give them his approval. At an early age that person will write a perfectionist code on their operating software. Then as an adult, they will strive to reach perfection in all that they do because they are coded to believe that perfectionism will help them finally gain the love and approval that they always sought from their earthly father. Because their beliefs become part of their subconscious operating software, they won’t even realize what is going on until life gets so painful they are forced to either numb out or find a solution. Perfectionism will be the way they operate for the rest of their lives until they start to recognize it for the lie that it is and rewrite their software.
Instead of fighting the life long battles of individual sins that perfectionism constantly generates, they can get to the source of the problem and abandon the lie of perfectionism. Realizing we have God’s approval through Jesus helps all of us start to rewrite our lives into one of grace instead of performance. Instead of trying to earn God’s favor as well as everyone we meet we let God write grace into our spirit as we learn to enjoy love and acceptance versus fighting the sinful side-effects of the virus of perfection.
This life-long software, updating task is enabled by the Holy Spirit who helps us seek out and destroy the lies that keep us bound. If truth sets us free then lies bind us up. We have to see our lives from His perspective to function properly and avoid the viruses that the demonic realm is constantly trying to hack into our operating systems. God has a plan and a purpose for each one of His children but we will only recognize it as our operating systems gets more and more updated to the truth.
2 Corinthians 10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.