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 February 2004

At the beginning of his book Miracles, C.S. Lewis wrote of his conviction that “there exists in addition to Nature, something else....”1 He then proceeded, in his well-reasoned way, to explain and support the reality of the supernatural.

As for you, what part does the supernatural play in your thinking and experience? This important question can serve as a barometer of the vitality of our faith. It can also point the way to a deeper life with God.

When he was an atheist, Lewis rejected out of hand the idea of the supernatural; nothing existed beyond Nature. But after his conversion to Christ, Lewis became convinced that the supernatural was an essential part of real religion as opposed to “all watered-down and modernist versions”2 of the Christian religion. From then on, he was committed to supernaturalism “in its full rigour.”3 And for Lewis, there was no conflict between supernaturalism and a rigorous use of the mind in matters of faith. This is reflected in his lively belief in angels, demons, miracles, the power of prayer, and the active role of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life.

Lewis is a good example for believers today. As never before, we need to combine a rigorous use of our mind with a firm belief in and experience of God’s supernatural action in our lives and the world.

Most of us can understand well enough the rigorous use of our minds in the study of God’s truth. But, what part should the supernatural play in our lives today? Lewis gives us valuable biblical perspective when he says, “...how can it loom less than large if it is believed in at all?”4

This brings us back to faith—active, expectant faith in God to do all that he has promised us in his Word. Not simply belief in the Word of God but also trust in the God of the Word. Such faith will come for us, as it did for C.S. Lewis, as we immerse ourselves daily in Scripture, with much prayer for the Holy Spirit’s illuminating work in our hearts. The Spirit will then create faith in us through the Word, giving us a firm foundation upon which to pray and trust God to intervene in our lives and world with his supernatural power.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
Ephesians 1:17-19a NIV


1 C.S. Lewis. Miracles, HarperSanFrancisco, ©1947 C.S. Lewis Pte. Ltd., HarperCollins edition 2001, p. 5.
2 C.S. Lewis. Letters of C.S. Lewis, ©1966 by W.H. Lewis; ©1966, 1988 C.S. Lewis Pte. Ltd., published by Harcourt, Inc., Orlando, Florida, 8 November 1939, p. 327.
3 C.S. Lewis. Christian Reflections, ©1967 The Executors of the Estate of C.S. Lewis, published by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, p. 44.
4 C.S. Lewis. Letters to Malcolm, Chiefly on Prayer, ©1963 C.S. Lewis Pte. Ltd., Harcourt, Inc., Orlando, Florida, p. 120. Monthly contributors supporting the work of C.S. Lewis Institute.

COPYRIGHT: This publication is published by C.S. Lewis Institute; 8001 Braddock Road, Suite 301; Springfield, VA 22151. Portions of the publication may be reproduced for noncommercial, local church or ministry use without prior permission. Electronic copies of the PDF files may be duplicated and transmitted via e-mail for personal and church use. Articles may not be modified without prior written permission of the Institute. For questions, contact the Institute: 703.914.5602 or email us.

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