The Spirit Was Not Yet: What the Old Testament Spirit Could Not Do

John 7:39 "For the Spirit was not yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified." The Spirit was not yet! Not absent from creation for Gen 1:2 says "the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. Not absent from Israel — the Spirit came upon Moses, upon the seventy elders, upon David, upon the prophets. But the specific Spirit that the Lord Jesus spoke of — the Spirit of the glorified Son of Man, the life-giving Spirit carrying within Him the human experience of Calvary — that Spirit was not yet!

The Spirit that the Lord Jesus spoke of in John 7:39 had never been breathed out of a crucified and resurrected body, had never carried within Him the blood of atonement, the victory of resurrection, or the glory of ascension. In the old testament the Spirit of God would come upon men for service but He could not come within. He anointed Samson for strength, He came upon Saul for kingship, He rested upon Isaiah for prophecy (Isaiah 61:1) but was never within any old testament Saints. He empowered them for service to God but He could never impart salvation, for the blood of Jesus had not yet been shed.

Col 2:9 "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" In Jesus physical body dwels the Father the Son and Holy Spirit! The Old Testament Spirit carried no blending of Trinity in any being. That blending only happened when God became a Man thereby experiencing humanity, the cross, resurrection, ascension, exaltation, glorification, enthronement and much more. Before this experience there was no such Sprirt as the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of His Son. These names were not yet because crucifixion, resurrection and ascension were not yet!

Through Glorification God Gained a Human Experience — Forever

The glorification of Jesus the Son of Man was the pre-requisite for the Holy Spirit to be given to believers -John 17:39. When Jesus the Son of Man was buried, The Holy Spirit designated vindicated declared Jesus the Son of Man to be the Son of God by resurrecting him from the dead -Romans 1:4. Just before the cross Jesus prayed the Father to restore his glory which he had before the world began- John 17:5. Therefore when Jesus ascended he entered His glory as before the creation of the world Luke 24:26. This fulfilled the condition for receiving the Holy Spirit whom he then sent to earth upon believers. Hallelujah

What the Spirit of God was before the incarnation He remains — but now He carries within Him infinitely more. He carries Calvary. He carries resurrection. He carries the glory of the ascended Son of Man!

This is why just before the cross Jesus said: "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." -John 16:7. The going away was not abandonment — it was Jesus death, resurrection and ascension into glory. Jesus also said "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever" John 14:16. He was revealing that He would come back to believers pneumatically — as the Spirit, within them, as rivers of living waters flowing from within believers - Jhn17:38. Hallelujah The last Adam (Son of Man) became a life-giving Spirit 1 Corinthians 15:45 — and he brethead himself into believers and also fell upon believers.

The Spirit Is the Seal, Pledge and Proof of Our Glorious Salvation

When Jesus was glorified he received the Holy Spirit and came back to earth to live within believers. He continues to fall only upon believers who seek him enduing them with power. He is the living proof that our salvation is real, complete and eternal!

He is the seal of our salvation "You were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise" - Ephesians 1:13. The presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life is proof one is washed by the blood of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the pledge of our redemption, the down payment guaranteeing our glorified bodies — Ephesians 1:14 "the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession". "For the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies Romans 8:11". Take it this way: When you pay a deposit you secure the merchandise. You have the exclusive right to take full possession of your merchandise. At Jesus parosia or second coming Jesus will take full possession of our bodies.We will be changed in the twinkling of an eye and meet him in the air!

The Holy Spirit is the witness of our sonship — Romans 8:16 "The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." He is the helper in our weakness, interceding with groanings that words cannot express -"Romans 8:26 — Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

The Spirit of Sonship: He Puts Us in the Same Class as Jesus

The Holy Spirit is both the Spirit of His Son and the Spirit of sonship/adoption . Through him we cry Abba Father just like Jesus Himself cried Abba Father in Gethsmane. Galatians 4:6 "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption/Sonship, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Mark 14:36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Jesus cried Abba Father in Gethsemane and now the same Spirit that cried Abba in the heart of Jesus cries the same cry in your heart! He made us sons/children of God. We now share the same Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are not merely forgiven sinners, we are sons priviledged to cry Abba Father intimately like Jesus did!

He is the Spirit of Jesus Acts 16:7 "After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not." He is the Spirit of Christ Romans 8:9c "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." He is the Spirit of His Son Galatians 4:6 "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." He is the Spirit of Jesus Christ Philippians 1:19 "For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." He is the Spirit of the Lord 2 Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." He is the Spirit of Life Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." He is the Comforter John 14:16 "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever." He is the Spirit of Truth John 16:13 "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth." He is the Spirit of Grace Hebrews 10:29 — Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?". He is the Spirit of Glory 1 Peter 4:14 "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you." He is the Eternal Spirit Hebrews 9:14 "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"Every one of these names was impossible before Calvary!

The Name and the Spirit: Both Were Not Yet Before Calvary

The Holy Spirit is inseparably connected to the Name of Jesus — and both the Name and the Spirit were not yet before Calvary!

Jesus said "In that day you will ask the Father in My name — not that I will ask the Father on your behalf" John 16:26. Before the cross there was no access to the Father hence animal sacrifices. But Jesus was pointing to a new day when believers would themselves approach the Father directly, in His Name! John 14:13 — And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." The Name of Jesus carries the full authority of the glorified Son of Man — and that authority was conferred at his ascension exaltation and glorification.

At the ascension Jesus received the Name that is above every name Philippians 2:9 "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name." The Name was given at exaltation — and at the same exaltation Jesus received the promise of the Holy Spirit and poured Him out. Acts 2:33 "Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear" The Name and the Holy Spirit were given to Jesus together at his glorification in Heaven!

This is why believers were identified by outsiders as THE WAY -Acts 19:9,23. They were identified because of the way of the Lord Jesus. The way of calling Abba Father. They were idetified as THE WAY because they called and used the Name of Jesus. As they called Jesus , Jesus appeared and worked miracles just as during his earth walk. This is the work of the Holy Spirit through the glorified Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.