April 26

And in keeping with what is written: “I believed, therefore I have spoken,” we who have the same spirit of faith also believe and therefore speak, — 2 Cor 4:13 BSB

There is an important distinction between faith and the spirit of faith. The spirit of faith is faith in action. Faith sometimes is like a day with no wind—calm, still, with barely a breeze to stir the leaves. But eventually, a gentle breeze comes, moving over the land. This is like faith and the spirit of faith. Faith at rest is like the calm air of a summer day, when nothing is moving or stirring; faith in action is like the breeze that stirs and makes itself felt.

If God has given me faith, that faith remains in my heart and is never lost. Once a believer, always a believer. For if I could cease to believe, I would cease to be a child of God, and I would lose salvation itself, for we are saved by grace through faith. Yet there are times when the spirit of faith may not be strong. Faith may become inactive—though not stagnant, for that implies death—but calm, like a bird with its head tucked under its wing. But in time, there is a stirring—a movement, a gracious breath from the Spirit. “Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind; blow upon my garden” (Song of Solomon 4:16). “Come from the four winds, O breath” (Ezekiel 37:9). This heavenly breath from the Holy Spirit awakens faith, revives it, and draws it into action. It becomes the spirit of faith, working spiritually and powerfully according to its measure.

John was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (Revelation 1:10). He was not always in the Spirit in lively action, but he was never out of the Spirit in terms of possession. So it is with faith. Sometimes, faith is in the Spirit, and then its eyes are opened, like John’s, to see spiritually what he saw visibly—Christ’s Person—and its ears are opened to hear inwardly what John heard outwardly—the words of Christ.