IMO, you are confusing regeneration by God Holy Spirit .with the indwelling God Holy Spirit.
They are one and the same. We are born again (meaning we have new life) because we are placed in God and He in us. The two cannot be separated.
John 14
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
The eternal union between the Father and the Son is not shared by man at the time of this discourse.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
The "Comforter" the disciples have at this time is Christ, the Consolation of Israel. He will, after returning to Heaven, send "another" Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, and at that time they will be indwelt (not filled) by God. God will be in them—rather than "with them (v.17).
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
The Lord isn't referring to His current "living," this is a reference to His Resurrection, and an implication of the coming resurrection believers will receive. We will be risen with Christ.
The implication of "... ye shall live also" is this: the disciples do not at this time have the "life" Christ is referring to.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
They did not know this then because it had not yet happened. When it did, as v.17 states, God would be in them, rather than "with them."
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Having and keeping his commandments is a proof, rather than a condition.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
So in this passage we see the indwelling of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
In the Old Testament the Spirit of God certainly ministered in the lives of believers, but He did not indwell them in an eternal union as we now have through the New Covenant. Nor did He reveal to them the Mystery of the Gospel of Christ.
So back to ...
IMO, you are confusing regeneration by God Holy Spirit .with the indwelling God Holy Spirit.
Your focus is central on the Holy Ghost, but our Union with Him is the indwelling of the Trinity, as taught by Christ in the above passage.
Today, just a in the Old Testament, believers can be "filled with the Holy Ghost," which is an empowering ministry God has always performed, but we are always indwelt. Those are the two ministries which, in my view, thrown into confusion by most. It is because of this confusion our charismatic brethren view the Baptism with the Holy Ghost as a subsequent event in the life of the believer. However, this is a reference to being baptized into Christ. We are placed in Him, and He in us.
Again, those two actions are one, and cannot be separated. Consider the disciples just prior to Pentecost:
Acts 1:4-5
King James Version
4 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.
5 For
John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
We know the disciples had already been empowered for preaching, teaching, healing, casting out devils, etc. But what had not yet happened was their being baptized into Christ, which could not take place until the Comforter was sent, which could not take place until Christ returned:
John 16:7-8
King James Version
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; 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.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
That is the day they would know Christ was in the Father, the Father in Him, and He in them.
That is the moment of the New Birth: when we receive the Life God sent His Son to bestow:
John 3:14-16
King James Version
14 And
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Until believers were baptized into Christ—they did not have this Eternal Life. We cannot argue with Scripture, which makes it clear, this is the purpose of Christ's coming.
Th regeneration, logically, comes prior to faith. The indwelling Holy Spirit comes either prior to, or simultaneously with faith
Regeneration is receiving New Life. The Life of God. We receive that life when we hear the Gospel and believe. It is just my opinion that when the Comforter ministers to the unbeliever, they believe regardless, and those who do not actively reject the Gospel are born again.
We are saved by grace through faith, and faith cometh by the hearing of the Word. When we are regenerate—we are saved. It is illogical to suppose that one can be saved before we are saved.
And to you.
God bless.