Upgrade

A Soul Check: Is It Time for a Kingdom Upgrade?

What Fall Organizing Can Teach Us About Inner Healing, Prayer, and the Work of the Holy Spirit

“Could it be…?”

This morning during my quiet time, I found myself contemplating the new season—Fall.

I was praying about many things, and as I thought about this transition from summer into fall, I began thinking about how we prepare our homes for a new season.

Many people talk about spring cleaning, but I know many moms who use the end of summer and the beginning of fall as a time to reorganize. Summer clothes are put away. Fall clothes come out. Closets are rearranged. School schedules begin. Things that have been sitting around all summer are finally addressed.

And I began to wonder:

What about soul cleaning?

What about soul organizing?

What if every new season is an opportunity to pause and allow God to check in with us?

A New Season Is an Opportunity for a Check-In

Ecclesiastes tells us:

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”— Ecclesiastes 3:1, KJV

Every season has a reason.

There are seasons when God is asking us to move, seasons when He is asking us to wait, seasons of planting, seasons of harvesting, seasons of building, and seasons of tearing down what no longer belongs.

The beginning of a new season can be a beautiful time to ask:

Am I on track?

Is there anything in my life that God is asking me to release?

Are there old habits that need to be exchanged for new ones?

Are there thought patterns that no longer agree with God's Word?

Are there wounds I have learned to live with that God wants to heal?

Have I become comfortable with something that God is calling me to change?

Romans 12:2 reminds us:

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

Sometimes the greatest cleaning we need isn't happening in our closets.

It is happening in our hearts and minds.

God Is Not Afraid of an Upgrade

As I continued thinking about this, I began thinking about the Bible.

I believe the Bible is God-breathed, living, active, and purposeful.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”— 2 Timothy 3:16, KJV

The Old Testament is foundational to our Christian faith. It reveals God's holiness, His character, His covenant, His promises, His relationship with humanity, and His plan of redemption.

And throughout the Old Testament, we see something unfolding.

God was preparing humanity for something greater.

The Old Covenant established patterns, promises, laws, sacrifices, priesthood, worship, and covenant relationship that ultimately pointed forward to Jesus Christ.

Hebrews explains that the Old Covenant was a shadow of things to come:

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come…”— Hebrews 10:1, KJV

Could it be that what we sometimes see as separate pieces of Scripture are actually part of a much larger picture?

Could it be that God was progressively revealing His plan until the appointed time came for Jesus?

The Greatest Kingdom System Change

One of the most significant changes involved the way sin was dealt with.

Under the Old Covenant, sacrifices were repeatedly offered because of sin.

The blood of animals was part of the sacrificial system God established with Israel.

But those sacrifices could not ultimately and permanently remove sin.

Hebrews tells us:

“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”— Hebrews 10:4, KJV

Then Jesus came.

Jesus did what the repeated sacrifices could never accomplish.

He became the perfect sacrifice.

“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.”— Hebrews 10:12, KJV

What an upgrade!

The issue wasn't that God suddenly decided sin didn't matter.

Sin still matters.

Sin still separates us from God.

Isaiah tells us:

“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God…”— Isaiah 59:2, KJV

What changed was the way God provided for humanity to be reconciled to Him.

Jesus became the way.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”— John 14:6, KJV

Through Jesus' death and resurrection, we now have access to God through faith.

We don't have to continually bring an animal sacrifice.

We can come boldly before God.

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”— Hebrews 4:16, KJV

We can repent.

We can confess.

We can receive forgiveness.

We can pray.

We can reconnect with God.

Because of Jesus.