John B,

You are right you will never find in scriptures that they were so. This speculation was created by the Pretribbers, to explain the scenario, after the christians and the Holy Spirit is taken away or raptured before the tribulation, the 144,000 will be the one to take the responsibility to evangelize those who were left behind. I don’t know then what kind of spirit will the converts be indwelt with if the Holy Spirit is no longer be present.

YBIC,

eaglet - a former pretribber, became a berean, now a post-tribber because of Rev. 16:15, Rev. 9:21