GROWTH COMPONENTS
ACTS 9:31
ACTS 9:31 NKJ
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.
OBSERVATION:
In this chapter, we see one of the biggest enemies of the church have an experience with the risen Jesus.
Paul had been the leading persecutor of the early church. He had been responsible for believers being taken from their homes and put into prison. But on his way to Damascus, he encountered the Lord and would become the leading voice of the Lord to the Gentiles, the non-Jewish nations.
So, verse 31 tells us what happened after Paul had converted. These things helped an early church, but we can apply them in our own lives also.
Had peace and were edified. There was a peace that settled on the churches when the persecution died down. The church may still grow under persecution, but peace is always preferable.
Edified is another word for built-up. The preaching and teaching of the word had spread, and these things built up the people spiritually.
Walking in the fear of the Lord. God was not a casual thing for the early church. They had a great reverence for Him that translated into changed lives. They were changing and following His commands out of a genuine respect for God and His ways.
The comfort of the Holy Spirit. The word comfort means encouragement for the purpose of strengthening and establishing. The Holy Spirit was active in strengthening and helping the early churches.
As a result of all these factors, the churches were multiplied. A living strong church is a growing church, and the atmosphere we find in verse 31 was the best environment for growth.
APPLICATION:
All these growth components can be present in our lives as individuals. We can have peace in our hearts and homes. We can be built up spiritually by God's word. We can walk in a genuine respect for God and the Lord Jesus, and that respect can govern our attitude and actions. And the Holy Spirit can still do His work in us, strengthening and establishing us in the faith. With all these components in play, growth is inevitable.