The Latent Power of the Soul

This is an EXCELLENT book to help the true Believer understand many "religious " activities which are meant to deceive with false miracles and "signs" of superior spirituality.

Very profound work by Brother Nee. This is a must read for every genuine believer that wants to work only with the power of the Spirit rather than soulish faith. It's a great eye opener about the powers that we seek and give ourselves to. Brother Nee may have written this in 1930s/40s but it became even more relevant in 2025 when it seems like soul power has spread further in the world.

Such a powerful book!!!! Have read it twice and keep finding so many goodies deep in the pages.

Watchman Nee is always great. He gives a powerful analysis of Soul Power.

This little book is full of timeless nuggets of Christian theology. Watchman Nee brilliantly dissects the differences in soul and spirit, an often overlooked topic of discussion.

When I first read “Latent Power of the Soul” in 1972, I was not in favor of the things that he said. Though I had already devoured “The Spiritual Man,” and “The Normal Christian Life,” my understanding and experience with the soul of man were lacking. As my understanding has developed over the years through much experience, I have come to see the need for discernment between the good and the not-so-good. (Heb. 5:14) There is much going on in the Body of Christ today that passes for spiritual, but is in reality soulish. At best, it is due to immaturity and at worst, it is due to deception. I’ve also been looking into what normally passes for worship in this day, and there are some things he wrote (of which I was no longer aware) that speak directly to the issue. A few days ago, something happened (I don’t recall what) that brought to mind Nee’s book on the soul. So, I bought and read a copy. QUOTE: “Making use of science, religion, and even an ignorant church (in her seeking excessively supernatural manifestations and in her not controlling supernatural gifts according to the guidance of the Bible), Satan is causing the world to be filled with the power of darkness.” Though I have not participated in any of the ‘revivals’ or ‘blessings’ that have occurred since the waning days of the Charismatic Renewal, all reports have been about “supernatural manifestations” which the people involved were experiencing. The only changed lives with which I am familiar are those of ministers who have capitalized on their having been involved in one or another of those events. QUOTE: “Satan is now engaging this soul power to serve as a substitute for God’s gospel and its power. He tries to blind people’s hearts…into accepting a bloodless religion.” The God-loves-you-more-than-you-can-imagine concept of hyper grace sweeping the country has essentially become “bloodless.” Nee speaks a lot about worship designed to move man’s soul. (There is too much to offer a definitive quote.) He illustrates with environment, singing of “incessant choruses,” preaching, etc. While there were times we experienced the “incessant singing of choruses” in the early days of the Charismatic renewal, there is a new form today that uses the incessant repetition of a phrase such as “He’s a good, good God.” (I lost count at 10x on one such video recently from a very popular church in California.) This book by Watchman Nee is solid. All that being said, however, it is also a dangerous book for the unlearned or unskilled. It is too easy to take what Nee says and make "rules" or "guidelines" out of it, and then completely miss what the Lord is doing because it didn't "fit the box."

I had points in the book that I wanted to say, “What? That’s so wrong or weird”, BUT he has loaded this book with scripture and I found some very good nuggets of thought. It’s an easy read. Read with open mind and see if there’s anything God wants to teach you!

This is not like the other books from Watchman Nee, it is a little different in that he addresses some new age issues originating back to the fall of man. That Adam was created powerfully more so than we can even imagine and that Satan wants to harness the latent power each one of us harbor deep down in our soul. We are not to give him access to this latent power lest he uses it for evil. As a Christ follower our power comes from God and God alone, to Him be the glory and not us. It may seem like watchman Nee is going off course in the beginning of this book but keep reading and there is much to glean from it. I recommend this for anyone who has come out of the new age movement, is involved in a deliverances or just wants to read an interesting book from Watchman Nee.