The Latent Power of the Soul

As I was a Pentecostal Christian for 15 years and believed and practiced many mystical methods. Through the reading of this small book, my eyes were opened to such a point that I left behind all these methods. I came to realize through Nee's writings that what I thought were spiritual gifts from God were actually abilities of my fallen human nature that ALL human beings have laying dormant within them. I was taught that one must still all of ones thoughts in order to hear God's thoughts. Nee wrote, "In particular, they believe that the thoughts that come after praying are from God. As a result, while they pray and after they pray, they allow their minds to sink into passivity. They stop their own thoughts and every other activity of the mind, in hope of receiving "God's thoughts." They believe that this kind of thought is from God,..." This is what I had been taught to do through reading and listening to various Pentecostal authors and speakers. This book is a great tool in the hand of God to shine His probing light onto unbiblical practices that leave the practitioner listening to a pretender...not God.

Man is tripartite - spirit, soul, and body. Prior to the fall of man, there was the spirit, linking man with the Divine, which was the highest; the body, connecting man with the material, the lowest; intermediate stood the soul, partaker of the nature of the others, the bond that united them and through which they could act on each other. Nee speculates that since it is written "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Gen. 1.26), that image and likeness would be repetitive if it merely meant physical attributes. He was already like Him in outward appearance, but he was ordained by God to become like Him morally, so that man could have dominion over the earth, as he was originally instructed by God. When Adam fell in the garden of Eden this moral likeness along with its power was immobilized. He had not lost this power altogether, only it was now buried within him. Man had become flesh, and his flesh now enclosed tightly this marvelous power within it. Generation has succeeded generation with the result that this primordial ability of Adam has become a "latent" force in his descendants. As a result, Satan attempts to break open this fleshly shell and to release the power dormant in man's soul in order to gain control over man - so that man can be deceived into thinking he is as God. Many do not understand this strategy, accepting these powers as being of God. For example, I've actually heard several people say that John Edwards, who allegedly communicates with the dead, has a God-given gift! Nee gives the example of Buddhist monks that, through ascetic practices, eventually attain to the elimination of all food. He mentions that some monks of high degree can even pierce the unknown past and predict the future and perform many other wonders by Buddhist magic. Nee explains that the engaging in all of these different kinds of abstinences and ascetic practices flows from one single governing principle: the Buddhist is attempting to break all physical and material bonds so as to get his soul power released from its subservience to the flesh. Whether it is in China or in Western nations, all of these practices of breathing, ascetic exercise, hypnosis, prediction, and psychic communications are but the release and manifestation of the latent power of the soul. Satan makes use of man's soul force to manifest his strength. Man's soul power is Satan's working instrument, through which he works out his evil end. God, though, never works with man's soul power, for it is unusable to Him. When we are born again, we are born of the Holy Spirit. God works by the Holy Spirit and our renewed spirit. Since the fall, God has forbidden man to again use his original power of the soul. It is for this reason that Jesus often declares how we need to lose our soul life, that is, our soul power. God wishes us today not to use this soul power at all, but instead depend on Him. This is Nee's warning and admonition to Christians about brilliant

The book "Latent Power Of The Soul" by Watchman Nee, is as relevant today as it was in the early church. This book brings clearity as to the powers working within and through the human soul in church meetings. The book address which spirit is operating through the power of the soul within a leader to either manipulate or control a congregation. This book is highly recommended for all christians, leaders and laymen alike to discern whether the Holy Spirit is at work or the spirit of witchcraft. The book pin points and identifies "Charismatic Witchcraft" and the devestating effects both physically and spiritually by coming under it's influence.

Recently, I was compelled to get that book off the shelf and read it. I can't say for certain, but it felt like a dream had said, "Read the Latent Power of the Soul." Whatever the inspiration, I did read it, and wished it had been sooner! I cannot understand why anyone would feel this book was controversial. It helped me to understand about dividing the spirit and soul in Hebrews, a Biblical concept I had never heard expounded in years of churchgoing in various denominations. "New wine" of the spirit cannot abide in the "old bottles" of the soul. As we let go the "old, outer man" and allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in the inner holiness of our Temple, our soul takes its rightful place as the sanctuary, with our body being the outer court--all necessary, but in that order. Too many of us are ruled by the cravings of the flesh, when it should be in submission. This book helps make it simple, if not easy. I know now why I was led to buy this book in the first place!

Although Mr. Watchman doesn't use the KJV he does a great job defining the difference between the body, the soul, and the spirit. I wish that I was taught it this well defined in Bible College.