When something happens to you in your daily life, how should you differentiate between whether it comes from the work of the Holy Spirit or from the work of Satan? When people’s circumstances are normal, their spiritual lives and their lives in the flesh are normal, and their reason is normal and orderly; generally what they experience and come to know within themselves at this time can be said to come from being touched by the Holy Spirit (having insights or possessing some shallow knowledge when you eat and drink the words of God, or being faithful when things happen to you, or having the strength to love God when things happen—these are all of the Holy Spirit). The Holy Spirit’s work in man is especially normal; man is incapable of feeling it, and it seems to be through man himself—but in fact it is the work of the Holy Spirit. In daily life, the Holy Spirit does work both great and small in everyone, and it is simply that the extent of this work varies. Some people are of good caliber, they understand things quickly, and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit is especially great within them; some people are of poor caliber, and it takes them longer to understand things, but the Holy Spirit touches them inside, and they, too, are able to achieve faithfulness to God—the Holy Spirit works in all those who pursue God. When, in daily life, people do not oppose God, or rebel against God, do not do things that are at odds with the management of God, and do not interfere with the work of God, in each one of them the Spirit of God works to a greater or lesser extent, and touches them, enlightens them, gives them faith, gives them strength, and moves them to enter proactively, not being lazy or coveting the enjoyments of the flesh, willing to practice the truth, and longing for the words of God—all this is work that comes from the Holy Spirit.

When people’s state is not normal, they are forsaken by the Holy Spirit, there is grumbling within them, their motivations are wrong, they are lazy, they indulge in the flesh, and their hearts rebel against the truth, and all of this comes from Satan. When people’s circumstances are not normal, when they are dark inside and have lost their normal reason, have been forsaken by the Holy Spirit, and are unable to grasp God within themselves, this is when Satan is working within them. If people always have strength within them and always love God, then generally when things happen to them they come from the Holy Spirit, and whoever they meet is the result of the arrangements of God. Which is to say, when your circumstances are normal, when you are in the great work of the Holy Spirit, then it is impossible for Satan to make you waver; upon this foundation it can be said that everything comes from the Holy Spirit, and although you may have incorrect thoughts, you are able to renounce them, and do not follow them. All this comes from the work of the Holy Spirit. In what situations does Satan interfere? When your circumstances are not normal, when you have not been touched by God, and are without the work of God, and you are dry and barren inside, when you pray to God but grasp nothing, and eat and drink the words of God but are not enlightened or illuminated—at such times it is easy for Satan to work within you. In other words, when you have been abandoned by the Holy Spirit and you cannot grasp God, then many things happen to you that come from the temptation of Satan. Satan works at the same time as the Holy Spirit works, and interferes in man at the same time as the Holy Spirit touches the inside of man; at such times, however, the work of the Holy Spirit takes the leading position, and people whose circumstances are normal can triumph, which is the triumph of the work of the Holy Spirit over the work of Satan. Yet when the Holy Spirit works, there is very little work of Satan; when the Holy Spirit works there is still a disobedient disposition within people, and all that was originally in them is still there, but with the work of the Holy Spirit it is easy for people to know the essential things of them and their rebellious disposition toward God—although they can only rid themselves of them during gradual work. The work of the Holy Spirit is especially normal, and as He works in people they still have troubles, they still cry, they still suffer, they are still weak, and there is still much that is unclear to them, yet in such a state they are able to stop themselves sliding backward, and can love God, and although they cry and are distressed inside, they are still able to praise God; the work of the Holy Spirit is especially normal, and not the slightest bit supernatural. Most people believe that, as soon as the Holy Spirit begins to work, changes occur in people’s state and the essential things of them are removed. Such beliefs are fallacious. When the Holy Spirit works within man, the passive things of man are still there and his stature remains the same, but he has the illumination and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, his state is more proactive, the circumstances within him are normal, and he changes rapidly. In people’s real experiences, they primarily experience the work of either the Holy Spirit or Satan, and if they are unable to get a hold over these states, and do not differentiate, then real experiences are out of the question, to say nothing of changes in disposition. Thus, the key to experiencing God is being able to see through to such things; in this way, it will be easier for them to experience.

—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. The Work of the Holy Spirit and the Work of Satan