“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:38-39, ESV).

Jesus did not necessarily mean that there was no work of the Holy Spirit in the world prior to His resurrection.

We know the Holy Spirit was active in creation and inspired those leading or speaking to God’s chosen people throughout biblical history. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit came upon people periodically to enable them to accomplish certain God-given tasks, communicate a word from God, or see a vision from God.

The age of the Spirit began with Jesus. And, Jesus’ ministry was anointed by the Holy Spirit because He walked in the Spirit.

Once Jesus’ work on earth was finished, the gift of the Holy Spirit became available to everyone who believed in and followed Jesus. Jesus declared that God wanted to send His presence into the lives of everyone and then His life would flow out of them toward God and toward other people.

While the ministry of Jesus was to represent the concerns of humanity to God, the ministry of the Holy Spirit was to represent the concerns of God to humanity. Now, the promise is that God will dwell with all his people, individually and collectively, by His Spirit. Everyone can receive the gift of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit will make God’s presence personal to you. And, the power of the Holy Spirit will enable you accomplish God’s plans and purposes because He lives and dwells in you.

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6, ESV).