In First Corinthians 2:12 the Apostle Paul writes, “…we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God….” Paul contrasts two different spirits, and these spirits are an either/or scenario. We cannot receive the spirit of the world and the spirit of God. So, which spirit have you received? Well, how can we know? We can know by looking at our life.
Paul expounds on this concept in Galatians five in slightly different terms. There instead of the “spirit of the world,” he speaks of the “works of the flesh,” which are things like, “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife jealousy, …anger…envy, and…drunkenness.”[1] On the other hand, those who “walk in step with the Spirit” of God bear fruit like “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”[2] Which of those lists more aptly describes your life? That’s a great indicator of which spirit you possess.
[1] Cf. Galatians 5:19-21
[2] Galatians 5:22-23