The spirit of the world tells us: “You’re OK. You’re doing the best you can under the circumstances. Your problems are caused by the people around you, your family, your co-workers, your teachers, the government. You need to do what is right for you and try to get those others to change.”

There in a nutshell is the source of most of the world’s problems. The spirit of the world, really a host of demonic spirits, pretends to comfort us by telling us to blame others for our problems. That leads to mistrust, conflict, hatred and makes the problems insoluble. Every supposed solution just creates new conflict, new trouble. Every revolutionary, when he overthrows the oppressor, becomes the new oppressor.

How can one escape from this hopeless cycle? The answer is in the Bible. That’s not a popular book anymore, especially since many people who call themselves Bible-believing Christians are actually thinking and acting according to the spirit of the world. But the Bible has a radical solution, one that actually works. It does not tell us to go out and fight against all that is wrong in the world around us, but to fight against what is wrong within us.

The Spirit of Truth tells us: “Are you having trouble? Go look in the mirror, there you will see the source of all your troubles. I can’t help you change the things others do, but if you ask me I can change you.”

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:12 ).“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14:17 ).“When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13 ).“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32 ).

How does admitting that I am the problem set me free? Let me count the ways:

1. God has forgiven me for all my past sins.
2. I find that God does not demand flawless performance, all He asks is that I follow where He leads, one step at a time.
3. I can stop batting my head against the wall, trying to change the world.
4. I can appreciate the good that other people do without feeling like a hypocrite.
5. When I cease to be the source of friction in my dealings with other people I find that they are far nicer people than I had ever imagined.