e Spirit played a different role before the coming of Jesus. Jesus said in John 16:7, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” In Jesus’ death, the Holy Spirit was able to come to us and fill our lives. The Spirit was not present in all flesh in the old covenant. It wasn’t until Jesus died on the cross and was glorified that the Spirit was poured out on all flesh. In John 7:39, “But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” Christ had not yet died for our sins, and thus the Spirit could not occupy our hearts because He could not be in the presence of sin. The blood of Christ made it possible for the Spirit to indwell us. Although the Spirit could not indwell all, there are instances in the Old Testament when He anointed and indwelled certain individuals. In I Samuel 10:10, Saul experiences the anointing of the Spirit; “When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.” Later in Chapter sixteen, it says that the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul. Samson also had an indwelling of the Spirit. Judges 13:25 says, “ And the Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him…” The Spirit later departs from him as well; in chapter sixteen it reads, “…But he did not know that the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him.” Isaiah says that, “the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me…” (Isaiah 61:1). We see that that Spirit of God was upon certain individuals to accomplish His work, but did not necessarily remain in them and was not present in all creatures. The Spirit...
