Did people have the Holy Spirit before the day of Pentecost?

There are many references in the Bible to the Holy Spirit working in the lives of people before the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came upon Mary, the mother of Jesus (Matthew 1:18). John the Baptist was “filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb” (Luke 1:15). David earnestly prayed, “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11). The Spirit worked in the days of Noah (Genesis 6:3) and on the heart of Joseph (Genesis 41:38).

The reference in the book of John speaks of a special outpouring of the Spirit promised on the day of Pentecost. After His resurrection, Jesus “commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now’ ” (Acts 1:4, 5). The purpose of this special outpouring is explained: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (v. 8).

The fact that a special gift of the Spirit promised by Christ to the disciples at the launching of the church does not mean the Holy Spirit did not work previous to this time. It simply points to an extra measure to help start the work of evangelizing the whole world. Before Christ comes, a similar but greater outpouring of the Spirit, called the “latter rain,” will be given to help complete the gospel work (see Joel 2:23 and James 5:7).

Key Bible Texts

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. (John 7:37 KJV)