By Shane Carrington
Synopsis: Disciples find great comfort through fellowship with the Holy Spirit, for He revealed the inspired word which nourishes God’s people.
Satan assaults our senses with unsettling images that take our eyes off Jesus. From global concerns to family crises to personal fears, the enemy possesses powerful tools of distraction and destruction.
First-century disciples also confronted serious problems: personal struggles, political unrest, and persecution. Yet, they also knew the grace of God, the love of Jesus, and the comfort of the Spirit. Their example and hope encourage and embolden our walk!
In the following two passages, conflict gives way to comfort, spiritual strength, peace, and hope.
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase (Acts 9:31).
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all (2 Cor. 13:14).
The Holy Spirit’s role, like that of the Father and the Son, is integral to the spiritual life of disciples.
Paul reminds us of this by beginning several of his letters in similar fashion: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 1:2, etc.). He also exclaims the Holy Spirit’s part in this: “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17).
To what does Scripture allude regarding “the comfort” and “fellowship of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 9:31; 2 Cor. 13:14)?
In “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings,” nine human-like creatures stand shoulder to shoulder as they prepare to embark on a grand quest. They will work together, rely upon one another, and show loyalty to both each other and their mission. They are a “fellowship” i.e., people who have “community,” share “joint participation” in a common cause, and pledge “intimacy” or closeness in their partnership as they work together (The words in quotation marks are from Joseph Henry Thayer’s definitions of the word “fellowship” (Thayer, 352).
Similarly, as we submit to God’s instructions for our lives, we are partners with Him in His will being accomplished “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). Or, as our text says, we have “fellowship with the Holy Spirit.” We have a close relationship with Him as we participate with Him in moving His will forward in this world. As a wife is to be a “suitable helper” (Gen. 2) for her husband, the church (i.e., the bride of Christ, Eph. 5:22-33) is His helper in spreading God’s will to humanity. In the same context as the body of Christ (Eph. 5:22-33), we are His hands and feet to do what He entrusts to us as we serve Him here on earth.
The Father planned these actions of faith; the Son enacted the plan; the Holy Spirit revealed all the above. When we humbly submit to what the Holy Spirit revealed in Scripture, we have “fellowship (i.e., partnership, closeness, participation) with the Spirit” (2 Cor. 13:14). May that sink deeply into fertile hearts! God entrusts important activities to us, His people, and, when we participate with Him by doing those things, we are helping His “will [to] be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10) right now! Consequently, there is no job God entrusts to us—and partners with us in performing—that is unimportant. Whether raising our children for the Lord (Eph. 6:1-3), being faithful partners as husband and wife (Eph. 5:22-33), spreading the gospel (Matt. 28:18-20), working a job to provide for our family (1 Tim. 5:8) and the needy (Eph. 4:29), worshipping God (John 4:23-24), being a member of a congregation in the manner we should (Acts 9:26-29), or shining the light through setting a godly example (Matt. 5:13-16), we are partners with God in broadening the influence of His will on earth. That is “the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.” May we reflect His light, illuminating the way to Jesus (John 8:12; Matt. 5:14).
Since the death of Stephen (Acts 7), persecution of the early disciples became severe. Saul of Tarsus became their foremost foe (Acts 8-9), “ravaging the church” (Acts 8:3) and “breathing threats and murder against the disciples” (Acts 9:1). He spearheaded efforts that led most of the disciples, except the apostles, to flee Jerusalem (Acts 8:4). Imagine having to leave your home, community, occupation, and friends due to being faithful to Jesus! What an agonizing time they faced!
This continued for an extended period. Saul even departed for Damascus to incarcerate Christians—about 135 miles away, as the crow flies (Acts 9:1-2)!
While Saul traveled, Jesus confronted him. This led to his conversion and commitment to preaching Jesus even in foreign fields (Acts 9:3ff).
With Saul’s repentance, the result was far-reaching. One of the transition statements in the book of Acts (chapter 9:31) describes the peace, comfort, edification, and growth which they experienced. This is described as “the comfort of the Holy Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit worked toward the comfort of the church in at least two ways related to Paul in this context. First, Saul’s conversion relieved much of the suffering of those disciples, because their chief persecutor was now a disciple. Since all conversions come through the word of the Spirit, He comforted the church by removing an obstacle from their path. Second, his conversion led him to preach God’s word, which both converts the lost to the Lord and edifies disciples of the Lord. Paul became a partner with the Holy Spirit in preaching that inspired message. His fellowship with the Spirit led to the comfort of many.
Jesus promised the apostles that the Holy Spirit would inspire them. He described the Spirit as “the Comforter” or “Helper” (John 16:7), because what He revealed would comfort/help them in the same manner the words of Jesus had during His earthly ministry. The word inspired by the Holy Spirit comforts through. . .
Making spiritual stability possible (John 16:1),
Helping disciples know the Father and Son (John 16:3, 12-15),
Giving spiritual insight through convicting the world with the truth (John 16:7-13), and,
Providing victory over sin, Satan, and the world (John 16:8-11).
The Holy Spirit comforts and helps us today through the inspired, written word (John 15:26-27; 16:12-13; 20:30-31; 1 John 1:1-4) which accomplishes all the above.
We take part in the fellowship and comfort He provides through three important practices.
Read Scripture daily. To read the Bible well, read the Bible often. Explore the context rather than isolating one verse. There is comfort in knowing.
Meditate upon what you read. Understanding what God is saying, and why He said it, requires more than a passing glance. There is comfort in taking God’s word to heart.
God calls us to holiness through His word. He gives us a mission in many facets of life, desiring that our study and meditation shape our walk in Jesus. There is comfort in fellowship with God, partnering and participating with Him in His will being done “on earth as it is in heaven.”
Because we live in a world troubled by so many challenges, we need the words the apostle John wrote about true fellowship with God: “These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete” (1 John 1:4). Never neglect the great joy found in the comfort and fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Thayer, J. H. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1977.
