I hear what you're saying. Hey, let me run this past you . . . the Baptism of John. Check out these verses (I hope I can present this in a way easy to understand . . . it isn't easy even for me).
Acts 19:2-6 NLT - 2 "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" he asked them. "No," they replied, "we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 3 "Then what baptism did you experience?" he asked. And they replied, "The baptism of John." 4 Paul said, "John's baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus." 5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied."
Compare this with:
Luke 7:28-30 CSB - "I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." 29 (And when all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they acknowledged God's way of righteousness, because they had been baptized with John's baptism. 30 But since the Pharisees and experts in the law had not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves.)"
My notes:
The Luke passage absolutely indicates, and quite clearly, that the Baptism of John the Baptist represented a Spiritual change of some kind, and that would likely be the lifting of the Sinful Nature, so that Spiritual Blindness would be lifted so that they could understand, believe, and [see].
What is significant about John's Baptism? Perhaps the Baptism of John is a Holy Baptism that lifts the Sin Nature. Wouldn't this explain why no one is greater than John? Wouldn't this explain what it means to "prepare the way?" Preparing the way? How? By lifting the Sin Nature first? It was because of the Baptism of John that all who received it were enabled to believe. And, it wasn't until AFTER they believed they received the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 11:10 NLT - "John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say, 'Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you."
I submit that the Baptism of John actually lifted the Curse of the Lord. And yes, this would mean that Jesus had authored this right through John's Baptism. We know, for sure, that there was a difference in John's Baptism and the simple water Baptism of others, thus, he Prepared the Way. The way to what? The ability to possess True belief.
If anything, these passages show that Circumcision of Heart and Repentance certainly came before the reception of the Holy Spirit. Those baptized by John believed, but they had not received the Holy Spirit (Acts 19, long after Luke 7). So, the road-work was completed . . . all who had received John's Baptism were Enabled, meaning, their Hearts were Circumcised of the Curse of the Lord. There was an entire body, or group of people that had been prepared to establish the New Church on and after the Day of Pentecost. Thousands were ready and Enabled (to receive the Holy Spirit)! But those who did NOT receive John's Baptism . . . they rejected the Plan of God. No doubt, there was something about John's Baptism that was remarkable not only in evidence but by the Words of Christ . . . "there is no one greater than John."
So unbelievable . . . I love this Bible!