There are two spirits in the world
The world is in chaos. More than normal. That is obvious.
But it is not complicated.
The chaos will continue. But there can be clarity in the chaos if you look at the world with the right perspective, through a spiritual lens.
There are two spirits in the world. Only two. It’s not complicated.
Some would say this is an over-simplification. They would argue that such a “binary”—seeing things as one or the other—is not a complete conception of reality.
However, these same people would likely agree with the many pundits and others who describe our current culture as polarized. There are strong opinions that seem irreconcilable.
But this is not not about ideology, it’s about theology. It is not about political parties, it’s about spiritual forces.
There are two spirits in the world.
There is the spirit of evil, and the spirit of good. There is the spirit of darkness, and the spirit of light. There is the spirit of this temporal world, and the spirit of eternity.
These contrasts are obvious in our culture, from politics to media to entertainment to social conversations.
On the one hand there is overt pride and self interest. On the other there is humility and service.
The response to the death of George Floyd was violence and destruction and threats. The response to death of Charlie Kirk is peace, worship, singing, and forgiveness.
The one spirit encourages screaming, chanting and ranting. The other spirit moves to calm, rational, and civil dialog.
One spirit places identity in personal achievement, sexual preference, possessions and the things one can create. The other spirit gives people an identity in the One who created all things.
One spirit encourages an allegiance to human traditions that vary with time. The other spirit favors divine authority that is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
One spirit claims that everyone should speak their own truth. The other spirit is the absolute truth.
One spirit enables and defends lawlessness. The other spirit respects law, order and justice.
One spirit worked to allow and now celebrates ending the life of humans in the womb, The other spirit stands for the fact that life is sacred.
One spirit seeks to disrupt peaceful worship to make themselves heard by other people. The other spirit moves in the hearts of people to peacefully worship and to be heard by that spirit.
It all looks chaotic and hard to explain. You could conclude and fret that society is breaking down. Or you could see evidence of the larger truth.
There are two spirits in the world.
This is not new. From the time when humans first fell to temptation by the devil, God announced there would be enmity between these two spirits. Since then this concept of two spiritual forces is frequently mentioned in the Bible, most famously in the Apostle Paul’s letter to an early church in Ephesus:
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12).
So once you can see clearly, and understand the chaos, what do you do?
You choose.
This also has biblical precedent. The prophet Joshua advised:
“choose this day whom you will serve…as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).
Jesus also called people to choose: “Whoever is not with me is against me” (Matthew 12:30).
And, after you choose, have hope and stay confident.
As the disciple John wrote of the two spirits: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
The world is in chaos. But you can view it simply. And you don’t have to fear. You just have to choose.
There are two spirits in the world.
