In my opinion, because many people have taken the word “tarry” out of context, receiving the Holy Spirit is made to seem like something one must work for. Now, this is where the word “tarry” comes from. “Jesus said, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). So, what does tarry mean?

The word tarry means to delay leaving a place; that is exactly what the disciples did. They delayed leaving Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit was given just as Jesus had instructed them. However, some people have changed the definition of “tarry” to mean the work people put in at the altar to receive the Holy Spirit. By this, I mean working themselves into a frenzy and screaming out for Jesus as if their life depended on it.

Let me say this clearly. You do not need to work to receive the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, have you not read what the disciples were doing while they tarried or waited in Jerusalem for the promise of the Holy Spirit? Here is what they did.

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers” (Acts 1:14). You heard that correctly. The disciples were having a prayer meeting. From this, we could say that the time between baptism and waiting for the Holy Spirit should probably be spent in prayer or rather in communion with God.

Next, I grew up hearing people quote this scripture, “…but ye shall be baptized with the Holy [Spirit] not many days hence” (Acts 1:5). These words were often used to encourage new converts about how long after baptism in Jesus’ name they should receive the Holy Spirit. Now, it is not necessarily wrong to use these words; however, let’s consider the context in which Jesus used them.

Here is verse four from that same passage that adds context, “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy [Spirit] not many days hence” (Acts 1:4-5).

What Jesus meant by “not many days hence” was that in a few days the Holy Spirit would come. Here is the New Living Translation of this verse, “John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” That “not many days hence” came on the Day of Pentecost when those in the upper room received the infilling of the Holy Spirit. As such, the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the only occasion that a timeframe was given, and even then, the timeframe was not specific, for when a group of people would receive the Holy Spirit.

Since then, there has been no time frame. Therefore, you can receive the Holy Spirit at any time such as before baptism in Jesus’ name when you believe in Jesus and repent of your sins or seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and for some people even years after baptism in Jesus’ name.

Having said that, please know that receiving the Holy Spirit is extremely important and cannot be overemphasized, so no wonder the church mothers and fathers would tell new converts, “…not many days hence.” They wanted new converts to treat receiving the Holy Spirit with urgency because they knew the consequence of not having the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 explains their reasoning.

“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (NKJV). In other words, if you do not have the Holy Spirit, you do not belong to Christ. You need the Holy Spirit for Jesus to claim you as his own. Need I say more?