Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?

“He (Paul) said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ They answered him, ‘We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’” (ACTS 19: 2) 

When Paul arrived at Ephesus, he discovered other people, at the same religious stage as Apollos, though they seemed to have considered themselves followers of Christ, not of the Baptist. So he asked one question to be sure about it—“did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers.” Why? Paul knew that the Holy Spirit is “the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.” Without Him we can’t grow.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)