A Snapshot of Joy

Acts 7:54-60
The Stoning of Stephen
54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together [2] at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.


Nehemiah 8:10
10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Taking that word 'strength' and diving deeper into the original meaning you get: defense, force, fortress, strength, stronghold, and rock. Christian joy is all of these things. Happiness is fleeting and has nothing to do with what we are talking about here. I can prove this simply by referring to those times that everyone has had when a beautifully happy day is torn into pieces with a single life altering sentence... Joy is God exalting, worship creating, dark-day sustaining, and life-giving because it comes from the only one who can give life. Here Stephen follows in the footsteps of His master and bares His cross with joy (Hebrews 12:2).

John 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."