Comfort(Paraklesis) Of The Holy Spirit(Paraclete)

Devotional #19

“So the Church had peace, being built throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and walking by the
fear of the Lord and by the comfort of the Holy Spirit was multiplied” Acts 9:31(Revised Version)

The Lord appeared to Saul in a vision and spoke with him directly and called him for the great work among Gentiles. God used Ananias, not any Apostle, to speak with Saul to convey the message received from the Lord. We were not told much about the work of the Holy Spirit in the conversion of Saul except Ananias telling him “ …that thou mightiest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost” Acts 9:17. Church enjoyed peace, after going through the persecution, as one of the main persons who persecuted the Church was touched by the Lord. Lord watches over His Church and as per the need He provides peace from outside situations.

In verse 31 we notice the work of the Holy Spirit in this chapter. The Revised Version translates as “Church” denoting the work of the Lord through the Holy Spirit in all three places as one Church. Baptized in one Spirit to function unto one body, though they were scattered in different districts geographically. All truly born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit believers are considered as one body, one Church in the scripture. It is a great blessing if we understand this truth in a real sense and put it into practice in our lives individually and corporately.

The Church was found walking by the fear of the Lord. It is not a slavish fear, fearing the punishment of the Lord but reverential awe to show voluntary obedience. Walking by the fear of the Lord makes a believer experience that the Lord is with them and close to them. “I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved” Psalm 16:8. This brings godliness in believers because the believer is instigated by God’s presence and fear to walk in His ways.

In these places, the Spirit caused edification in the believer’s lives to grow in sanctification. Being built on what is already done by the Spirit in their lives to preparing them for the use in the work of the Lord. So the Church was multiplied. Another great principle that was brought to our attention is the Lord works in the inward man to build His own character and teaches him how to be useful for the expansion of His kingdom and work. When we neglect the work of the Holy Spirit who wants to work in our inward nature to transform and strengthen, the multiplication work of the Lord does not progress the way it should in the plan of God.

“ by the comfort of the Holy Spirit”, the word comfort in Greek is “Paraklesis” and the Greek word for Holy Spirit is “Paraclete”. The phrase is “by the Paraklesis of the Paraclete”. Paraklesis means The act of calling toward exhortation, encouragement toward developing a virtue. The Paraclete, the Holy Spirit is given to strengthen and establish the believer’s possession of redemption. “For whatsoever things…through patience and comfort (Paraklesis) of the scriptures might have hope” Rom 15:4. “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation (Paraklesis) and comfort 1Cor 14:3.

A believer who received the gift of prophecy, causes edification, exhortation, and comfort through his ministry in the assembly. Exhorting believers to walk in the fear of the Lord, “And Joses, who by the Apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (Which is being interpreted, The son of Consolation (Paraklesis) a Levite and of the Country of Cyprus (Acts 4:36). Barnabas displayed a special gift of persuasive utterance in Antioch and several other places in his ministry along with Paul. He ministered through the gift of Prophecy.

When we read the word comfort in English it does not reflect what Paraklesis means to convey. Bringing an exhortation toward the completion of redemption work as in Rom 15:4, exhorting fellow believers as in 1 Cor14:3 by bringing all things to remembrance whatsoever the Lord said to exercise future hope, with persuasive utterance bringing in conviction in the heart of believers and unbelievers as Acts 11:23-24 the ministry of Barnabas. By the Paraklesis of the Paraclete, the believers are strengthened and it appears that ultimately Lord used these, and Church was multiplied. This is a great principle to ponder upon.