What are the characteristics of "The Holy Spirit" that make it operable within a womb?
Or not?
Some want to read the prophecy of Luke 1:15 as saying the Holy Spirit did or would so operate. (I think it rather plainly talks of Holy Spirit "from" womb times, i.e. after birth.)
If the fetus that would become John the Baptist could be part of a Holy Spirit operation, if it makes any sense think there could be the Holy Spirit operating there, how is that possible?
I don't think any kind of spirit makes sense as being found within a womb, let alone Holy Spirit.
Well your confusion that it would not be possible might be because you are operating under an error that it is "the fetus that would become John the Baptist". It is John, a person already. Just like we are all persons at that stage. And this Scripture (and the related passages) show clearly that the Inspired Word of God treats with a person at this stage.
Since you are working here with Luke and this section and the Baptist...it is actually pretty clear that the person exists at this point.
Later in Luke at 1:41 it is apparent that the Holy Spirit is at work because the Baptist recognizes Christ when the mothers meet. That recognition (of the identity of Christ) is a work of the Spirit. We see this later in Scripture when Peter recognizes the identity of Christ. So at that point, it is obvious the Spirit is there, and acting in the womb. If there is confusion as to how...that is only because of the error that there is no person there for the Spirit to act upon. The rest of the segment clearly shows that there is a person there, not just material of could be or will become.
Scripture is clear this is not a coincidence or just a baby kicking or moving because of both word choice and basic Biblical typology.
Because this is, above all, a meeting of persons not of concepts or potentials. We are not afforded the leeway of it being a pre-baptist or a to be Christ. It is, clearly, a meeting of persons: The Forerunner and the Messiah. Because the Holy Spirit acts upon the person who is John to recognize the Person who is Jesus.
And to prevent us from using the excuse that this is an isolated situation or the fact that they are persons is somehow a one off event, Scripture uses the same word as is used in Genesis when Jacob and Esau struggle unborn. That as well is not simply motion but rather the clear manifestation of persons. A variation of the same is used in Luke 6:23 to refer to those born. It is not just movement that is expressed by the word that the Spirit Inspired the author to use...but emotion, identity and expression of a personality.
Had the writer been Inspired to express a movement of material, a reflex or just movement alone without intent there were other words that could have been used (five other words, not counting nearly a dozen to describe something that could be un-directed non-person movement).
But that is not what was inspired. What was inspired was something that showed a person, and a meeting of persons. One that is fairly obvious through the Inspired word used. And when it is used it is teamed with "For joy" and at the other time with a struggle with intent. At no time does Scripture use this word (or its variant) without attributing to the doer a statement or implication of intent and by extension the ability to express (in some form) the aspects of a person.
So the Prophecy, when fulfilled, clearly shows the Holy Spirit acting upon an already existing (not a "to become") person. The fact that we are talking about a person is clear from the word and how it is used in Scripture. The only thing that would be confusing is if someone remained in resolute error that the fetus is not a person in light of these passages.
Another thing to remember is that the development of the mind, the size of human, number of cells, number of limbs or any other developmental stage (before or after birth) does not prevent the Holy Spirit from working. So nothing in the prophecy or its clear fulfillment in and upon the already existing person of the Baptist is in contradiction to theology. But for the purposes of the Baptist and Scripture related to what you cite...the Spirit working on a person evident.