Why I Am Still Surprised by the Power of the Spirit: Discovering How God Speaks and Heals Today

Written by Jack S. Deere

Narrated by Jack Deere

In his classic Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, Jack Deere looked at the reason why many Christians (including himself at the time) struggle to believe in miraculous gifts, and he provided a groundbreaking biblical defense of the Holy Spirit's speaking and healing activities today.

In Why I Am Still Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, the former Dallas Seminary professor revisits his earlier subject matter with fresh insight and even stronger conviction: the Scriptures teach that God is healing and speaking today just as he did 2,000 years ago.

Having almost entirely rewritten Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, this new edition comes at a time when the theological landscape has dramatically changed, and most evangelicals do believe in all the gifts of the Spirit. But many of us are still unsure how to understand those gifts, and there is much confusion today on what it means to be filled with the Spirit.

This audiobook is for those familiar with Deere's work and for newcomers alike. In it, he:

• Explains the nature of spiritual gifts, defining each of them.
• Offers sound advice on discovering and using spiritual gifts in church.
• Tells documented stories of modern miracles and encounters with demonic powers.
• Examines the New Testament use of the phrase "filled with the Spirit" to show why and how God still fills his servants with the Holy Spirit.
• Introduces the newest literature defending and explaining the gifts of the Spirit.

With the care of a scholar and the passion of personal experience, this new edition builds upon the legacy of Surprised by the Power of the Spirit and the profound impact it's had among Christians of many traditions. All this and more continues the book's legacy for a new time in this audio version.

Appendixes 4 and 5, “Were There Only Three Periods of Miracles?” and “New Testament Teachings about Demons,” are available in the audiobook companion PDF download.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Apr 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9780310108146

Jack S. Deere

Jack Deere, formerly an associate professor of Old Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary, is a writer and lecturer who speaks throughout the world on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He is the author of the bestselling book, Surprised by the Power of the Spirit.

Reviews for Why I Am Still Surprised by the Power of the Spirit

[Joshua White · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This really is an excellent book. Anyone who has been unfortunately indoctrinated by the unbiblical view of cessationism must read this book and understand the great error that they have been taught. Leave your presuppositions at the door and approach this book with humility and you will see what is the emphatically clear testimony of Scripture - the miraculous gifts ARE for today! God still speaks, God still heals, God still listens. More Holy Spirit!!

[Russell Jackson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a good book. Super relatable to my experience in the past and the hope I have for the future work of God. One of my favorite books.

[Tammi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It’s impossible to express how much we as Christians need to hear this book. It is strongly Biblically focused and answers many questions I think most Christians have thought about. The author’s love for God is encouraging and deep. Thank you for this poignant and straightforward book about Biblical principles and examples from your life. May God bless you.

[bryan dill · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a amazing way he lays it out!!!
Love the book!!!

[Jaron Cannon · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Jack Deere brings a hyper-congenial approach to Christian matters and presents his arguments in a friendly, profoundly readable and attractive tone. "Surprised" reads like a beautiful dance from page to page as Deere shares with his audience his journey through neo-modern charismatic theology. In sharing his story, he describes his admitted ignorance and neglect of the Bible from a young age; he recounts to the reader how he was deceived into embracing several healing movements and despising the many warnings and doctrinal rebukes he received along the way from colleagues and friends; he describes the experimental methodologies he has introduced and schooled naive and passionate young believers in; and, most surprising of all, he doubles down on this special and yet suspiciously unremarkable approach to Scripture with an admirable fervor.

Following a broadbrush overview of cessationist theological frameworks, Deere provides experiences, anecdotes, and emotional appeals to advocate for novel approaches to Scripture and tear down his own straw man. Truly, however, there is nothing new under the sun, and Deere, knowingly or not, is acting as a false apostle. There is little doubt that Deere is a saved man who loves the Lord; but in this case, he is astoundingly unsound in his interpretations of Bible passages and nothing short of dangerously experimental, misleading, and effectively confusing. It makes one wonder what his purpose may have been in writing this book prescriptively, given his theories are still in their budding stages.

"Surprised" will serve two good purposes: (1) spurring the mature and grounded Christian to deeper doctrinal research to understand why they believe what they believe and (2) producing a spirit of thankfulness in believers who have had the benefit of being discipled in a theologically sound church. Sadly, it may also have the effect of confusing new and less-discerning believers, presenting them with counterfeit versions of the very real, astounding, profound, and surprising power available through the Holy Spirit, Who desires to help us worship God in spirit and in truth. I believe Mr. Deere has a commendably good spirit, but in this book at least, he certainly does not present the truth.

If you're confused about any of the arguments he posits here, study the miraculous gifts in light of history and Biblical descriptions of the operations of the gifts.

i.e.
Have any Christians been gifted with the ability to spontaneously and without study speak diverse languages on a normative level (tongues)?

Have any Christians been given the ability to speak special revelation from God and make authoritative and accurate prognostications about the future on a normative level (miraculous prophecy)?

Have any Christians been given the ability to seek out incurables, terminally ill, and amputees and command regeneration on a normative level (gifts of healings)?

The answer is, of course, a resounding no. The effect of such powers, if they had continued to exist throughout the ages, would be so profound upon history as to be earth-shattering. Instead, we have nigh a whisper.

In their desire to manifest God's Spirit and turn faith into sight, well-meaning people have turned to counterfeits. As the Pentecostal churches have demonstrated from their inception and taught us vividly throughout the 20th century, the true gifts are not possible (assuming Satan cannot work them) without the operation of the Spirit of God, so we are obliged to, sink or swim, consider the following alternatives:

1. Fake speech instead of true languages. (Study Agnes Ozman for more info).
2. Psychic clairvoyance (or guessing games) instead of special prophecy.
3. Mind-body cures (and magic tricks in truly unfortunate cases) instead of miraculous healings.
Additionally, in a desire to demonstrate the miraculous, some have claimed ESP (intuition or, for the truly shameless, radio transmissions and prayer cards) and called it words of knowledge.
In all cases, these methodologies are no different than what you will find on the Las Vegas Strip (including the blabbering of the intoxicated and mentally ill). Such is a shame to the name of Christ. Calling parlor tricks, pseudoscience, and radical mysticism the operations of the Holy Spirit is dangerous. Teaching others to do so — unthinkable.

If you're okay with this and would rather believe convenient lies than hard truths, that is your prerogative. But for those interested in finding truth, do not seek it in "Surprised by the Power of the Spirit."

[Again, I believe Deere means well. Many sincere people have been deceived by occult practices. We must remember in every area of life, not just the miraculous, that just because something (or someone) has power does mean God is its source. But, as His Word teaches us, God's power is greater on every level than the powers of this world (Moses and the Egyptians, Elijah and the Prophets of Baal, Elymus the Sorcerer, etc., etc.). God was not adverse to demonstrating His signs via undeniable, verifiable, and thorough means.]

II Timothy 4:2-4 KJV - 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.