27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
02 Acts 09 23-31 SAUL'S EARLY MINISTRY 20 Acts 09 31 Comfort of the Holy Spirit leading to fruit-bearing
📖 Acts 09:23-31
20 – Mon27May2024 – *Comfort of the Holy Spirit leading to fruit-bearing* - _Acts 09:23-31_ – SAUL’S EARLY MINISTRY – _Galatians 05:22-25_
_Acts 9:31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord *and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit*, they were multiplied._
The comfort of the Holy Spirit meant that the churches were engaged in God’s good word and work. _II Thessalonians 2:16-17 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, (17) *comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work*.’_
The good work that the church was engaged in was to be fruit-bearing. The Holy Spirit produces His fruit from within us. _Galatians 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (24) And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (25) If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit._
To walk in the comfort of the Holy Spirit is to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires and give full access to the Holy Spirit. The flesh is contrary to the Spirit. _Galatians 5:16-17 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (17) For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and *these are contrary to one another*, so that you do not do the things that you wish._
The churches were fruit-bearing which was to be a blessing to others. A tree does not consume its own fruit but a tree bears fruit for others. We are to be fruit-bearing trees and this is not optional. A tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. _Matthew 7:19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire._
We are naturally self-focused. By being self-focused, we cannot be fruit-bearing for we will not be genuine in our care for others. The Holy Spirit fills our hearts with genuine love for others. _Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us._
The expression of our caring and serving is the fruit of the Spirit listed in _Galatians 5:22-23_ Therefore, *the demonstration of the fruit of the Spirit is in the context of being those who care and serve others*.
Sadly, we have de-linked these two principles. We look at the fruit of the Spirit as spiritual growth and consider caring and serving others as social action. These are not separate but continuous and contiguous. *The churches were enjoying the comfort of the Holy Spirit, which was being those who with genuine love for others, cared and served, displaying the fruit of the Spirit.*
How wonderful it would be if all our churches experienced the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The need around is enormous. The Gospel is for those who desperately need the Gospel. _Luke 4:18-19 “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED; (19) TO PROCLAIM THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."_
To have this life of the comfort of the Holy Spirit, we must see the needs of the people around us. _Matthew 9:36-38 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. (37) Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. (38) Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."_
The Lord saw the people in their true state. They were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. The labourers that God is looking for are those who will see people with the eyes of Jesus. If we are not able to see the true state of people, let us ask the Lord to give us His eyes to see the harvest. The harvest is truly plentiful because the numbers and the needs of the hurting people around us are vast.
Reaching out and meeting the people's needs is possible only in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The comfort of the Holy Spirit is for outward-looking churches, which are filled with the burden of the needs of the people and are available for the Holy Spirit to operate through them to be fruit-bearing.
*The Lord is longing to make us fruit-bearing but will we welcome Him?*
_Luke 13:7-9 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?' (8) But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. (9) And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.' "_
```The Lord is graciously giving us time to live in the comfort of the Holy Spirit and be fruit-bearing.```