The dictionary defines joy as a very glad feeling; happiness; great pleasure; delight. There are two aspects of joy – the inward experiencing of joy AND the outward expression of that inward experience. An angel told Zacharias that he and his wife Elizabeth were going to give birth to a son whom they were to name John. He said, “… He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.” (Luke 1:15)
Notice that God considers the unborn as human beings, because God only fills human beings with the Holy Spirit (not matter, fetus tissue, etc.)! When Mary (the mother of Jesus) went to visit Elizabeth (her relative) and greeted her John was filled with the Holy Spirit while in his mother’s womb! Elizabeth said to Mary, “For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.” (Luke 1:44) John expressed joy by leaping in his mother’s womb. The Hebrew word for “joy” means to leap or spin round with pleasure. Thirty years later John said concerning Jesus, “I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:8) When Mary greeted Elizabeth, she was pregnant with Jesus. Did the Jesus in Mary’s womb baptize John in Elizabeth’s womb with the Holy Spirit?
When was the last time you experienced the Holy Spirit in a way that resulted in your leaping for joy? “Rejoice … and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven…” (Luke 6:23)