Stephen was one of the elected deacons in the first church who faced fierce opposition to his faith in Christ. This opposition culminated into persecution that eventually led to his death –

Acts 7:54 – 57
Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 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. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 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.

The lordship of Christ was portrayed before Stephen in the vision of Him at the right hand of God “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” (Ephesians 1:21)

In the face of the most severe and extreme pushback any believer could ever face, Stephen found serious encouragement in the truth of Christ’s absolute and unfailing lordship. Stephen was so encouraged by this enduring and overarching truth of Christ’s lordship over all that he even prayed for those stoning him to death (can you imagine?) –

Acts 7:60
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.

Authority lay squarely and securely in the hands of Christ alone and not in those stoning him or those who even approved of his killing – Acts 8:1a And Saul approved of their killing him.

This is the vision God desires us to behold in the face of adversity and derive serious encouragement from.

Stephen was only walking in the footsteps and mindset of his Lord and Master. When Pilate chose to remind Jesus of his authority (the audacity!), The Lord asserted to Pilate, the Roman authority of Judea, that he only had authority over him as much as it was given to him from above and no more – John 19:10-11

So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me AT ALL unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”