After his resurrection, at that first meeting in the Upper Room, Jesus breathed on his disciples the Holy Spirit. This was a foretaste of the general outpouring of the Holy Spirit as foretold by the prophet Joel. The disciples had received the Holy Spirit on this occasion as a prelude to the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on hearers as well as preachers. The Holy Spirit is given to all those who follow Jesus, enabling us to hear God speak, as well as enabling us to speak on his behalf.