Having the Holy Spirit dwelling in us is essential for receiving the gift of eternal life. 

Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

If the Holy Spirit dwells in us, then we will be raised to life, just as Jesus Christ was.

But how can we receive the Holy Spirit?  Peter answers this question in Acts 2:38 when the crowd asked him what they should do. 

Act 2:38  Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The requirements to receive the Holy Spirit are repentance and baptism.  But this is not the complete picture.  Acts 8:14 explains this a bit more.  Here some people had been baptized but hadn’t received the Holy Spirit.  There was something else that needed to happen.

Act 8:12  But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.

Act 8:14  Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
Act 8:15  who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
Act 8:16  For as yet He [it] had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 8:17  Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Just being baptised was not sufficient.  They only received the Holy Spirit after the apostles laid hands on them.  It is at the laying on of hands after baptism that we receive the Holy Spirit. 

Here is another passage which shows the need for laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit.

Act 19:5  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 19:6  And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

It should also be noted that the apostle Paul received the Holy Spirit after the laying on of hands.

Act 9:17  And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Likewise, Timothy also.

2Ti 1:6  Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
2Ti 1:7  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Thus, according to Scripture, to receive the Holy Spirit, we need to repent, be baptised, and then have hands laid upon us.

There is one notable exception in the New Testament where the Holy Spirit was given before baptism, and that is Cornelius’s household.

Act 10:44  While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
Act 10:45  And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
Act 10:46  For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,
Act 10:47  “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”
Act 10:48  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

The account makes it clear why in this case the Holy Spirit was given before baptism.  Cornelius and his household were gentiles.  God gave His Spirit to them before they were baptised to show Peter and his companions that He was working with both Jews and Gentiles now.  Note that they were baptised soon afterwards.

An obvious question comes to mind about the righteous men of the Old Testament who had God’s Spirit.  Were they baptised?  The Bible doesn’t tell us one way or the other.  But the instructions in the New Testament are clear.

Conclusion

To receive the Holy Spirit, we need to repent, be baptised, and then have hands laid upon us.