The Holy Spirit: Who He Is and Why We Can't Live Without Him

by Bill Johnson

Best-selling author Bill Johnson describes His decades-long intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit as “the adventure of a lifetime.” You have the same opportunity for a life-defining “adventure” into God’s presence, love, and power by coming to know His Spirit. Many people are unfamiliar with who the Holy Spirit is and what role He has in their lives. They may be confused about or even intimated by Him. Even many seasoned Christians have an easier time relating to God or Jesus, while the Spirit and His ways are often a mystery. Like Jesus’s disciples, we wonder why Jesus had to leave earth so that the Spirit could come. In one sense, the Holy Spirit is surrounded by mystery because He is Spirit. But He is also personal and knowable. In fact, spiritually, we literally can’t live without Him and the life He brings us.The Holy Spirit is Bill Johnson’s foundational book on the Spirit, including both introductory and deep truths about the third person of the Trinity. He describes what he has learned about seeking God, hosting His presence, and seeing His Spirit change the atmosphere of families and communities—bringing peace where there was anxiety and discord, salvation where hope was gone, and restoration where purpose was lost. Johnson guides you into a close relationship with the Spirit—an eternal wellspring available for everyone, every day, everywhere, for every need and calling. Let the Spirit fill and overflow your life as He moves, shapes, cleanses, and carries you along in the adventure of God’s purposes for the world.  

208 pages, Hardcover

Published October 22, 2024

About the author

Bill Johnson and his wife Brenda (Beni) Johnson are the Senior Pastors of Bethel Church in Redding, California. Johnson is a fifth generation pastor.

Johnson was born in Minnesota in 1951 and became a Christian as a young child. Soon after, Johnson read seven books on prayer, which significantly affected his perspective and subsequent ministry.

Bill Johnson and his wife have three children: Eric, Brian and Leah.

Johnson speaking at a conference
Bill Johnson and Beni (Brenda) began as singles pastors under his father at Bethel. In 1979, they became senior pastors of Mountain Chapel in Weaverville, California.

While pastoring in Weaverville, Johnson attended a 1987 conference led by John Wimber, founder of the Vineyard Church Movement. According to Johnson "A number of healings and manifestations broke out and I didn't know what to do with it. I didn't object to it, I wasn't opposed to it; I just didn't know how to pastor it in a way that it would continue and increase".

In 1995, Johnson attended the Toronto Blessing revival at the Toronto Airport Vineyard church. Johnson relates: "In Toronto I said, 'Lord, if You touch me again I will never change the subject.' So I went up for prayer every time it was offered. I didn't have anything dramatic happen, but I came home and said, 'I am going to give the rest of my life to this.'"

In February 1996, after 17 years of leading the Weaverville church, the Johnsons were invited to become senior pastors of Bethel. Today Johnson describes Bethel as a church where "everything we do either fuels revival or is fueled by revival." Under his leadership, Bethel left the Assemblies of God in 2006 to become a nondenominational charismatic church.

According to a recent book written by Johnson, "Face to Face with God", Bethel is "a church where supernatural encounters with God happen regularly, miracles are common, and the congregation has an infectious passion for spiritual growth." The church has approximately 1,500 members, and a School of Supernatural Ministry.

Their Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry has 1,200 students enrolled with over 370 from other countries. Johnson leads a network of churches dedicated to global, multi-generational revival, Global Legacy. Johnson has written a number of books and travels extensively as a featured revival conference speaker. Johnson is also involved with the Northern California Revival Fellowship, a group of north Californian pastors committed to revival.

Source: Wikipedia

Reviews

[Jacob Seward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bill writes such great down to earth books. I thought he would teach more about how to hear Holy Spirit or how to create environments for myself or others but it wasn’t that type of book.

The primary coverage of this book is about how the Holy Spirit is truly, deeply part of the trinity and is seen all through Jesus’ life.

[Matthew Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was incredible. I have been walking and living in Holy Spirit for about seven years now. I was already living and walking and doing things that I didn’t know had correct terms. This book brings a lot of edification clarification and just really builds up the body of Christ.

[Jenevieve Wardell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic like everything else Bill Johnson writes. Love him!

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book goes deep. I had to re-read several paragraphs to grasp it all. My husband and I read this together. We both enjoyed it.

[Mary-Jane C. Laitinen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Book

Great insight into Personhood and ways of Holy Spirit. Great to learn how to connect more with Holy Spirit individually and as part of a group!!!