Allforjesus

Soul Power V Spirit Power 

“Soul force’ versus ‘Spirit force’ is the battleground today. The body of Christ is by the  energy of the Holy Spirit advancing heavenwards. The atmosphere of the world is thickening with psychic currents behind which are massed the aerial foes.” (Mrs Penn-Lewis – ‘Soul and Spirit’)

In part I we saw that many miraculous phenomena in religion and science are the manifestation of man’s latent soul power which is in turn used by Satan. These phenomena follow on from one common aim;to break through the bond of the flesh and release the power of the soul. This explains why certain people are successful in such things as clairvoyancy, hypnotism, telepathy etc. and why miracles of healing are not restricted to Christian environments.

THE SEARCH FOR SPIRITUALITY

Satan is a defeated enemy yet he is intent on causing as much destruction as possible in the time he has left (1Pet. 5:eight). Even now he is filling the world with this latent power of the soul. Take a look around you. Do you not see it? Soul power is flooding the world and more and more people are being deceived. Just look at the tremendous growth in the New Age movement in recent years. People are clamouring for all sorts of spiritual experiences and are joining spiritist churches; consulting mediums; communicating with the spirit world and following many other forms of paganism and witchcraft. Can you not sense this acceleration of opposition from evil spirits? We are living in the ‘end times’ right now and Satan is causing the world to be filled with the power of darkness in his last and final preparation before the appearance of antichrist (Revelation 13).

If you despair please remember that God is in control and that these events must come to pass before Jesus takes us all home (Mathew 24:6).

Jesus told us that before He returns miraculous signs (not of God) will greatly increase and deceive many

‘Then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; inasmuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.’ Mathew 24:23-24

Christians can be protected only by knowing the difference between spirit and soul and by trusting the Holy Spirit to guide us.

RECOGNISING SOUL POWER

The difference between us Christians and the others is that our miracles are performed by God through the Holy Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit is done through man’s spirit; but the work of the enemy are all done through man’s soul. The Holy Spirit moves the human spirit while the enemy spirit moves the human soul.

At the time we believe in the Lord Jesus we are born again – a real organic change occurs in us.

‘Therefore, if anyone man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

God puts His life into our spirits and quickens it.

‘A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit I will put within you.’ Ezekiel 36:26

‘Be filled with the Spirit’ (Eph 5:18) indicates that our spirit should be filled with the Holy Spirit- God fills our spirit with His.

In other words the Holy Spirit works in man through the human spirit; but Satan forges in man’s soul many phenomena similar to the workings of the Holy Spirit, causing men to experience FALSE REPENTANCE; FALSE SALVATION, FALSE REGENERATION; FALSE REVIVAL; FALSE JOY and other counterfeits of Holy Spirit experiences.

SOUL POWER IN THE CHURCH

You can see soul power in action in many Christian gatherings. A key to spotting this soul power is when leaders follow a certain formula or programme of events that they know will lead to ‘souls being saved’.  The leader will have an assurance that his or her message will cause people to weep, cry out and seek repentance.   

To understand this deception we need to look at the threefold work of the Holy Spirit.  1) He regenerates us (2 Corinthians 5:17), 2) He lives in us so that we may produce the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and 3) He comes upon us so that we may have the power to witness (Act 1:8)

The enabling which the Holy Spirit gives us is outside of us – we cannot be sure of it! Therefore at a revival meeting, for example, there is no assurance whatsoever that people will be saved – for the power of the Holy Spirit is beyond our control!   

‘The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.’  John 3:8

If we work with soul power we can feel it in the same way that hypnotists do when they know what results they will get by doing certain things. It seems that many preachers do not know that they are using psychic force. They think that they have power but they are in fact employing psychological power to win people over.  

UNLESS THE POWER OF GOD DRAWS PEOPLE TO HIM, YOUR NATURAL ATTRACTION OR FRIENDSHIP – HOWEVER GREAT IT MAY BE – IS OF NO AVAIL – THEY ARE NOT SAVED!!

‘Jesus answered, ‘No-one can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draws him’. John 6:44

In the work done by the power of the Holy Spirit man does not need to exert his own strength nor do anything by himself. If a work is done by soul strength one has to exert lots of energy and use numerous methods such as weeping, shouting, screaming, standing with eyes shut/hands out or the incessant singing of choruses etc. – as all these do is stir up the audience. Some leaders will just have to get the atmosphere just right before the meeting begins – the lighting, seating music etc. as if these things matter.

Is any of this familiar to you?

The power that comes from the Holy Spirit is never affected by outside environment. Our God can do absolutely anything – we don’t need to try and make Him look good!!

ALL WORKS DONE BY EMOTION ARE QUESTIONABLE AND TRANSCIENT!!  

“Anyone who wishes to know what preaching in soul power is need only attend a big meeting packed with people and provided with the finest equipment, and just listen to the people singing and watch the movement of the audience. You will be able to sense that there is a special power in a crowded place. What power is this?” (Watchman Nee 1933)

DIFFERENCE IN EFFECTS

‘The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.’ 1 Corinthians 15:45

This verse shows the different effect between the operation of the spirit and the soul. The soul is itself alive and has life in itself. The spirit, however, is able to give life to others and cause them to live. Only the spirit is capable of quickening people into life. The soul, no matter how strong it is, cannot impart life to others.  

The Spirit gives life, the flesh counts for nothing. John 6:63

We must lay down our soul power for it cannot save or help people. We must ask God to bind our soul life. We should lay down our talents and our strong points.

Tell God, ‘I don’t want to rely on my own talent and power. I ask You to do the work for by myself I can do nothing’.All power must come from God. By using our own wisdom, method, strength or abilities, we can block the manifestation of God’s power.

Many miraculous phenomena are performed by soul force instead of by God.

Many revival meetings may appear successful at the time but what happens afterwards is the key. A person may be ’slain in the Spirit’ and fall to the floor but it is what happens in that person’s life when they get up off the floor that is the real test of what power it was.

Is their life changed? Does their life bear fruit?

LASTING FRUIT

If you want to be used in God’s service do not speak of power. We should not seek power rather our responsibility is to fall to the earth and die. If we die then bearing fruit is very natural.

‘Verily, verily, I (Jesus) say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall unto the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.’  John 12:24-25

Whoever loses his own soul life, just as a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, shall grow in the life of God and bear much fruit – lasting fruit!

We must be helpless and hopeless before the Lord. Tell Him, ‘All that I have is Yours, I myself have nothing. Apart from you I am helpless and hopeless.

‘Ask and allow the Holy Spirit to bring you to a place where you can do nothing by yourself.We must learn to deny all that which comes from our natural selves. God will then display His power to accomplish His will.

Jesus gave us an example,

‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.’ John 5:19

We can achieve absolutely nothing in our own strength (John 15:5) but the victory is ours through Jesus. He lives in us!

‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.’ Galatians 2:20

Hallelujah!