Two Spirits in the Bible: How to Discern Between God and Satan

When you look at the world today, it’s not hard to feel that there is more going on than what our eyes can see.
There is so much confusion in religion, so many different teachings, and even in church circles people often disagree about what is right and wrong.

In the middle of all this, the Bible tells us something very important and very simple:

There are two kinds of spirits at work.
One is God’s Spirit, the Spirit of life and truth.
The other is the spirit of deception, the enemy who opposes God.

If there are two spirits, then every believer has to answer a serious question:

“Which spirit am I really following?”

This article will walk through what the Bible says about these two spirits and give some practical, biblical ways to discern between what comes from God and what does not.

Why Talk About “Two Spirits”?

Many people say they believe in one God, and that is true – the Bible clearly teaches there is only one true God, the Creator of heaven and earth.

So why talk about two spirits?

Because the Bible also reveals:

God’s Holy Spirit, who leads people to truth, life, and salvation
and a deceiving spirit, often called Satan, the devil, the evil one, who leads people away from God.

The purpose of this is not to make us afraid, but to make us awake.

If there is:

a God who loves us and wants to save us, and
an enemy who wants to deceive us and keep us from the truth,

then every sincere believer needs to learn to discern.

Who Is the True God According to the Bible?

The Bible begins with a clear declaration:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

God is not a product of human imagination.
He is the Creator, the One who made all things.

The Bible also describes God as:

The only God – not one of many, but the only true God
The self-existent One – He was not created; He simply is
Spirit – “God is spirit” (John 4:24), not limited by a physical body

In John 1:1–4, we see something even more profound:

In the beginning was the Word
The Word was with God
The Word was God
Through this Word, all things were created
And in this Word was life, and that life was the light of mankind

This teaches us something very important:

Where the Word of God truly dwells,
there God’s presence is.
Where the Word is rejected or twisted,
God’s Spirit is not at work.

So if we want to be led by the Spirit of God, we must be led by the Word of God.

Where Did Satan Come From?

A common question is:
“If God is good, did He create Satan to be evil?”

The Bible’s answer is No.

Originally, God created angels – spiritual beings who serve Him and carry out His will. They were created good, to worship and obey God.

But some of these angels chose another path.

Passages like Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14 describe a high, exalted being – often understood as a powerful angelic leader – who became proud:

He was given beauty, wisdom, and honor
But his heart became lifted up
He desired to exalt his throne and be like the Most High
Because of this pride and rebellion, he fell

This fallen being is often called Lucifer, the devil, or Satan.

Other passages speak of “fallen angels” – spiritual beings who left their proper position and rebelled against God.

So:

God created all things good
Some angels chose rebellion and pride
Those who opposed God became the enemy, not by God’s design, but by their own decision

That is how the enemy and his spirits came to stand against God’s will.

Two Spiritual Kingdoms: God’s Side and the Enemy’s Side

Because of this rebellion, the spiritual world is now divided into two sides:

God’s side
- Where His Spirit, His Word, and His will are carried out
- This leads to life, truth, and blessing
The enemy’s side
- Where deception, pride, and rebellion against God’s Word operate
- This leads to confusion, spiritual death, and destruction

This same division is reflected in our physical world:

There are people and teachings that truly point to God, His Word, and His will
And there are people and teachings that, knowingly or unknowingly, lead away from it

The Bible describes this conflict as spiritual warfare – not a war of guns and bombs, but a war of truth vs. lies.

Where Does Spiritual Warfare Actually Happen?

If you ask people, “Where do you think the battle between God and Satan is happening?”, many might think of something mystical or far away.

But the Bible gives a surprising answer.

It shows that the enemy’s focus is often not outside the religious world, but inside it.

The enemy works where people claim to represent God
False teachings, distorted doctrines, and deceptive leaders are all tools in this war

This is why Jesus confronted religious leaders in His time. He didn’t only talk about “sinners out there”; He exposed those who:

claimed to speak for God, yet
opposed the truth and persecuted those who followed it

So spiritual warfare is very real, and much of it happens in the realm of teaching, doctrine, and leadership.

How Do the Two Spirits Work Through People?

Because God is Spirit and the enemy is also spirit, neither simply float around as abstract ideas.
They both work through people.

The Bible shows this pattern:

God’s Spirit works through people who hold to His Word, love the truth, and obey His will
The enemy works through people who twist, deny, or add to God’s Word and lead others away from it

Jesus gave a key principle:

“The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.” (John 6:63)

God’s Spirit and God’s Word go together.
In the same way, the spirit of deception and lying words go together.

How to Test the Spirits: Practical Biblical Discernment

The Bible doesn’t just tell us that there are two spirits; it tells us to test them.

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God…” (1 John 4:1)

But how do we do that in practice?

Here are some biblical tests you can apply:

1. Does the teaching agree with the written Word of God?

God will not contradict Himself.
If a teaching goes against the clear message of Scripture, it is not from His Spirit.

Does this teaching align with the Bible as a whole, not just one isolated verse?
Does it respect the context and the heart of God revealed in Scripture?

If it distorts or ignores God’s Word, be careful.

2. Does it add to or take away from God’s Word?

The Bible strongly warns:

Do not add to God’s words
Do not take away from what He has spoken

When human ideas, traditions, or personal revelations are treated as equal to or above Scripture, this is dangerous territory.

God’s Spirit leads us deeper into His Word, not away from it.

3. What kind of fruit does it produce?

Jesus said:

“By their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:16)

Ask:

Does this teaching lead to humility, love, obedience, and holiness?
Or does it lead to pride, division, control, fear, or spiritual abuse?

The Spirit of God produces good fruit.
The spirit of deception eventually reveals itself through bad fruit.

4. Who is being exalted? Christ or a person?

The Holy Spirit’s role is to glorify Jesus, not to glorify a human leader.

If a ministry or teacher constantly centers around:

one person’s greatness
one group’s superiority
one human name being lifted up above all

and Christ and His Word are pushed to the background, that is a serious warning sign.

God’s Spirit leads us to Jesus as Lord and Savior, not to human idols.

5. Does it lead you to obey God’s will or just say “Lord, Lord”?

Jesus gave a sobering warning:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

It is possible to:

say the right religious words
show outward signs of spirituality
do many “Christian activities”

and still miss the will of God.

The Spirit of God leads us not only to believe, but also to live according to God’s will as revealed in His Word.

Life and Death, Blessing and Curse: A Choice

In Deuteronomy 30, God sets a very clear choice before His people:

Life or death
Blessing or curse

And He urges them:

“Now choose life, so that you and your children may live…”

In spiritual terms:

To choose God’s Spirit is to choose life, truth, and blessing
To follow the spirit of deception is to stay in darkness, even if it looks religious on the outside

God does not force us.
He invites us to choose Him, His Spirit, and His Word.

So, Which Spirit Are You Following?

At the end of the day, this isn’t just a theological topic.
It’s deeply personal.

What teachings am I accepting?
Who am I listening to?
Is what I hear truly based on the Bible, or is it someone’s tradition or opinion?
Does my faith lead me to love God’s Word more, to live more like Christ, and to walk in truth?

The good news is this:

God wants us to know Him
He gave us His Word
He gave us His Spirit
He calls us to be people who discern, not blindly follow

If we sincerely seek Him, test the spirits through Scripture, and love the truth more than our own ideas, then we can stand on God’s side in this spiritual war.

Final Encouragement

If you are reading this, it already means you care about truth.
That is a beautiful place to start.

Keep going:

Keep opening your Bible
Keep comparing what you hear with what is written
Keep asking, “Is this really from God’s Spirit, according to His Word?”

There are two spirits at work in this world, but there is only one true God, and He is not hiding.
He speaks through His Word, and He leads those who truly hunger for truth.

May your faith grow from confusion to clarity,
from childlike immaturity to spiritual discernment,
and may you stand firmly on the side of God’s Spirit, truth, and life.