Encouraged by the Holy Spirit
Acts 9:31 - In describing the period of time just after Saul’s conversion to Christianity, Acts provides a template for continued growth in the Christian church.
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“Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.”
Acts 9:31 NIV
Chapter 9 of the Book of Acts starts with a miraculous event — the conversion of Saul (Paul) on the road to Damascus, where he was headed to imprison and most likely order the execution of early Christians. After his conversion, Paul begins “to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:20 NIV) and begins to experience the same type of intense persecution by the Jews that he had been doling out.
The disciples and believers, fearing for Paul’s life, take “him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.” (Acts 9:30 NIV), and it is at that point that things go well for the budding church.
That’s the way God works - He turns threats into blessings! Acts 9 starts with Saul threatening death for all who believe in Jesus Christ, and by the time we reach verse 31, the church “is strengthened” and “increased in numbers”.
David Guzik of Enduring Word points out that:
b. Galilee: The Book of Acts tells us nothing about the planting of churches in Galilee. We don’t know who started these churches, how they did it, or all the great works of God which took place in these young churches. This reminds us that Acts is only a partial history of God’s work during this period.
Galilee is just one of the three regions that are being blessed with growth and peace during this time. One part of this is that the Jewish Christians from the south (Judea) and the north (Galilee) were living in peace with the formerly hated Samaritans in the center of the land.
That doesn’t mean that the early church wasn’t being persecuted (also from Enduring Word):
c. The churches… had peace: This doesn’t mean that all persecution had stopped; instead, it means that they had peace in the midst of persecution.
i. At the end of Acts 9:31, we reach an important historical crossroads in Acts and the events of the Roman Empire. In A.D. 37, Caiaphas was replaced as high priest, first by Jonathan, then by Theophilus. In the same year, Caligula succeeded Tiberius as Roman Emperor. Caligula was bitterly hostile against the Jews and was assassinated four years later.
There’s another hint at why the Christians were seeing peace at this time — their primary persecutor, Saul, had been converted to one of their number and was no longer actively hunting followers of Christ. Saul could have been replaced by another zealous Jewish persecutor, but the Jews had other things to worry about. One of Caligula’s actions in 39 AD — an attempt to place an image of himself in the temple in Jerusalem — gave the Jewish leadership something much more serious to focus on.
The next part of the verse tells us why the church is “increased in numbers”: the believers are “Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit.” While living in fear and being encouraged may sound contradictory, they’re actually both needed in our walk of faith. We’ve noted many times that “fear of the Lord” does not mean cowering in fear; rather, it is giving the respect and honor to God that is due to Him.
From Precept Austin:
Love That Fears - THE FEAR OF THE LORD felt by the saint is not a sick, cringing fear of punishment. It is, rather, the kind of confidence a young child has in her father. She is convinced that his power is much greater than anything that might harm her, and equally convinced that he will use his strength on her behalf. Thus she loves him deeply, “fears” him the most, and all the while rests in his care.
Just as we need two legs to walk efficiently, churches need both for members to honor and respect God and receive the encouragement of the Holy Spirit. Other Bible translations use the phrase “comfort of the Holy Spirit”, as the original Greek uses the word παράκλησις (paraklēsis) — the same word used by Jesus in John 14:26 and translated as “advocate” and “helper”.
On Precept Austin, Timothy Beougher elaborates on the “comfort of the Holy Spirit”, and asks an important question:
Timothy Beougher - Acts 9:31 tells us the New Testament church was, “walking … in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.” This church was alive! A clear spiritual dynamic was at work! Distinct characteristics identify a dynamic church. The church must live by faith (Heb. 11:6; 2 Cor. 5:7). The church must commit to holiness (Eph. 4:30). The church must depend on prayer (Eph. 6:18). Without these components, our church would be dead! Are we making progress in these areas?
Through fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the church “increased in numbers.” The ancient Greek word πληθύνω (plēthynō) is used here; Precept Austin notes that this:
means to be made full, grow, increase or be multiplied. In the active sense it means to cause to increase, to cause to become greater in number, to multiply (increase in number especially greatly). The imperfect tense pictures the church as growing over and over. As Robertson says commenting on the imperfect tense "The multiplication of the disciples kept pace with the peace, the edification, the walking in the fear of the Lord, the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The blood of the martyrs was already becoming the seed of the church. Stephen had not borne his witness in vain." (Acts 9 Commentary)
Despite attempts by the enemy to do his worst, the church — the body of Christ — is still increasing in numbers. A 2025 estimate by Princeton Theological Seminary showed that there were 2.6 billion Christians on planet Earth, or about one-third of the total population. While encouraging, there’s still a need to bring those other two-thirds into the fold.
How do we as contemporary Christians continue the work of the New Testament church? Through the same three factors found here in Acts 9 — peace, walking in the fear of the Lord, and walking in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
English pastor and evangelist Frederick B. Meyer elaborated in this piece found on Precept Austin:
The Church grew not simply by addition, but by multiplication. Three added to three make six; three multiplied by three, nine. That is the Pentecostal ratio of increase. These are the conditions of Church growth:—
First, there must be peace. — Let us endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. As far as it lies in our power, let each of us live peaceably with all men. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and railing, be put away out of our hearts, with all malice, and let us be kind one to another, tender-hearted, and imitating God the great Peacemaker.
Next, the Church must be edified. — We must build ourselves up on our most holy faith. And, indeed, such growth in grace and the knowledge of God is almost inevitable where the Holy Ghost breaks up the reign of apathy and stagnation. When its foundations are deeply laid in righteousness and peace, the City of God arises into the pure air.
Moreover, the members of such a Christian community must walk in the fear of the Lord. To walk means the daily plodding, routine life — full of commonplaces, somewhat prosaic — but always ruled by the fear of grieving the heart that was pierced on Calvary. Lastly, we must walk in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, or, as the words might be rendered, in the paracletism of the Paraclete. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, Teacher, Guide; and we should habitually dwell in his radiant and helpful environment. What a difference there is between sea weeds and sea flowers expanding in their rock surrounded aquariums, and the same when taken into common air! Such is the contrast wrought by the Spirit.
In describing the period of time just after Saul’s conversion to Christianity, Acts provides a template for continued growth in the Christian church.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the peace and growth of the early church, and for the continued multiplication of Your church to this time. I pray for peace in my life and the lives of those around me. Help us all to grow in faith and love. May we walk in respect and honor of You, recognizing Your greatness. Comfort us always with Your Holy Spirit, guiding us through challenges. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.