This fruit of joy because it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit coming from deep within is amazingly incomprehensible. For example look at the list of hardships and difficulties the Apostle Paul went through for the Lord Jesus and the gospel in 2 Corinthians 11:22-23; in labors, beatings, imprisoned, stoned, shipwrecked, in dangers from multiple fronts, often near death, weary and often sleeplessness, hungry and thirsty, cold and without adequate clothing (to me this list does not sound too much like today’s “prosperity gospel”). Yet in spite of all this it was from a jail cell that he wrote “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4. It was in Matthew 5:11-12 that Jesus promised blessing upon those who are reviled and persecuted for His sake, saying, “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven…” and Luke 6:23 even adds, “leap for joy”! In Acts 5 the Apostles were imprisoned for the Gospel, released by an angel, re-arrested, beaten and commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus, and after all this verse 41 says, “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.” Wow, how could anyone think this was anything short of “the joy of the Lord…”? Nehemiah 8:10. I see another example of this joy in Acts 16:16-34 where Paul and Silas were arrested, beaten, thrown into a maximum security prison, and bound in stocks for the work of the Gospel; yet in the midnight hour they started a prayer and praise service in the prison, then God showed up shaking the prison opening its doors, and loosing the bonds; then in the end the prison keeper and all his household got saved! It was from a different prison cell that God’s Apostle Paul wrote at least three of the books in our New Testament! This has to be joy beyond our understanding! Yes, it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit!
Joy in jail
By Rose Hill
Paul the Apostle was taken to jail,
But to make him sad ‘twas to no avail.
He had grace and peace from the Father above,
And overflowing joy because of God’s love.
He encouraged his brethren to rejoice always,
And again he said rejoice all your days.
Don’t worry about one single thing,
But with thanksgiving to your God sing.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version copyright …1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. used by permission.