The Latent Power of the Soul- Preface- Watchman Nee
“When in 1924 I first called the attention of God’s children to the dividing of spirit and soul, many well-disposed brethren thought of it as merely a dispute over words having no great significance. What they failed to see was that our conflict is not concerned with word but with that which lies behind. The spirit and the soul are two totally different organs: one belongs to God, while the other belongs to man. By whatever names one may call them, they are completely distinct in substance. The peril of the believer is to confuse the spirit for the soul and the soul for the spirit, and so be deceived into accepting, the counterfeit of’ evil spirits to the unsettling of’ God’s work.
This series of articles had originally been intended to be written immediately following the completion (in 1928) of The Spiritual Man. But because of physical weakness and the heavy burden of other service, I was only able to have them published in last year’s issues of Revival magazine. In response to the request of its readers, I now put forth this booklet.
The greatest advantage in knowing the difference between spirit and soul is in perceiving the latent power of the soul and in understanding its falsification of the power of the Holy Spirit. Such knowledge is not theoretical but practical in helping people to walk in God’s way.
Just last night I was reading what F. B. Meyer once said in a meeting shortly before his earthly departure. Here is a section of it: “This is an amazing fact that never has there been so much spiritualism outside the church of Christ as is found today . . . Is it not factual that in the lower part of our human nature the stimulation of the soul is quite prevailing? Nowadays the atmosphere is so charged with the commotion of all kinds of counterfeit that the Lord seems to be calling the church to come to a higher ground.”* Today’s situation is perilous. May we “prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thess. 5.21).” Amen.
Watchman Nee March 8, 1933
The insight that Watchman Nee had in 1924 is amazing. And it is amazing how relevant that insight is for today. This information is not new, we are told about it in both the New Testament and the Old Testament. I will only share one scripture from each Testament, since serious study and meditation are encouraged.
Hebrew 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart”. That really is the matter of the whole thing, isn’t it? Being able to judge the intentions of the heart? Since so much of what we see today has the soul as it’s source and not the Spirit. How can we sort it all out? Whenever you see hype in the church, is that not usually created by the soul? When there is a sweet presence of the Lord in our midst, you can always tell that it is “different”, is is “holy”, something that is “other”. It is “holy, set apart”.
In the Old Testament, Ezekiel 22:26 “Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them”.
The Lord has always made a distinction between what is “holy” and what is “profane”, between what is of the “soul” and what is of the “Spirit”. It is safe to say that the Spirit is holy and set apart, and the soul is profane, unholy or as some translations put it, they are “common”. That is the distinction.
We all want God in our midst, to see Him move on our behalf. But we must learn to discern between what is of the “soul’ and what is of the “Spirit”. How do we do that? Well, we ask God to help us! We hold all things up to the light of the scriptures. We press in to the study of God’s Word. Knowing the scriptures is of vital importance. We must learn to walk by the Spirit in all things.
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