Bill Johnson: ‘How to Get Breakthrough in Your Prayer Life’

I have had a front-row seat to the adventure of a lifetime: the transformation of one who loved and served God into one who became a true friend of God.

My wife of 49 years, Beni Johnson, was that person. She wrote and taught from a place of love and tenderness to the Holy Spirit that made others yearn for such a relationship. The most beautiful fruit of her example and teaching has been to see others enter into that same deep place with God. It was possible for others to enter as it wasn’t complicated at all. It only required surrender. Absolute surrender.

I remember the day someone spoke to my wife, in the middle of his sermon, and told her she was called to intercession—but that she would find the secret to blending intercession with joy. That word did not make her happy. Every intercessor she knew was depressed. I’m so happy she didn’t want to be like that. We were raising three children and didn’t need that kind of negative influence in our home. What happened in the following months and years was nothing short of miraculous. This one who wanted nothing to do with that kind of ministry found a place in the heart of God where she could maintain her assignment to pray, and pray deeply, without losing her joy for Him and for life itself. Her breakthrough has become a template for many.

Without question, the day we live in is quite serious. The destiny of nations lies in the balance. But Beni illustrates through her writing how to live in that place of personal victory and joy, regardless of the surrounding circumstances.

Whispers from Heaven is an invitation. It’s an invitation to tenderness, to friendship, to personal transformation. I pray that you respond to this opportunity with a resounding yes. And then put on your seatbelt, as God will take you into an adventure that will shape the rest of your days. The nations ache for your yes.

— Bill Johnson

Senior Leader of Bethel Church, Redding, CA

Joy and Intercession

I grew up in a church where the “intercessors” did not look like happy people a lot of the time. From my small perspective, all those who were intercessors were the ones who walked around with what looked to me like very heavy burdens. The intercessors always looked sad to me, and I don’t remember seeing them smile. As I got older, I remember thinking, “I do not want to be an intercessor.” I didn’t know it was possible for intercessors to be happy. I had a lot to learn.

For many years, I didn’t know I was an intercessor. When I look back now, I can see all the signs: I spent so much time carrying so many feelings inside of me and internalizing them as if they were my own. For example, I would often walk into a room filled with people and start feeling and hearing their thoughts—thoughts which were often very negative. Not realizing that all of those feelings that I was experiencing were the gift that the Bible calls “discernment of spirits,” I would carry those burdensome emotions as my own instead of releasing them in prayer. As a result, I became depressed. I became a “quiet one.”

When I turned 16, I had an encounter with God that changed my life. After that encounter, I didn’t do anything unless I prayed about it. I would go to my closet and open it and ask Jesus what I should wear that day. But I still did not understand my gifting and how to pray. Even though I was going through this amazing time with God in part of my life, I was not releasing to Him all of the things that I was feeling and picking up around me. I continued to internalize. I had no one to tell me that the emotions I was feeling inside of me and sensing around me were things that I needed to be praying about.

I met Bill at Bethel Church in 1969, when his father was the pastor of the church. We met during the Jesus Movement, got married, and spent five years on staff at Bethel before we moved to Weaverville, California, to pastor a small church in the mountains. I had a prayer life, but it was just a general prayer life. I prayed for my kids and my family or things that were going on in the church. I prayed because I thought that was what I was supposed to do. I didn’t pray out of relationship with the Holy Spirit.

In 1995, renewal came to our church in Weaverville. It was a time of great refreshing and joy. It was also a time when the Holy Spirit stirred up my heart, releasing me to be who I am. A brand-new season was coming. In this time of stirring, I felt Him speak to me a word that would change my life. I heard these words: “I want you to carry joy and intercession.” My first thought was, “Is that possible?”

Prayer

I know that there are so many aspects of the Kingdom I’ve unintentionally put into human-sized boxes. God, help me to break free of the limits of my own understanding so I can truly see from Your perspective. Show me any areas where I’ve limited Your love, peace, or joy. Dismantle any religious or political structures I’ve created around my idea of You. I want to know the truth!

Birthing Identity

When renewal hit, people were experiencing so much freedom.

I had two different experiences during that time that I would call life-changing encounters with God. One of those experiences happened in Toronto, at John and Carol Arnott’s church, Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship (TACF). My parents, my husband, and I were attending a conference there on the Father’s Blessing, which was the pulse of the whole outpouring there at TACF.

After one of the meetings, Bill and I got up to go and walked to the back of the room where there were people everywhere on the floor, much laughter, and Holy Spirit drunkenness. Acts 2:15 (NKJV) says, “For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.” When the Holy Spirit’s power hit the disciples in the upper room, they looked and acted like they were drunk.

Have you ever noticed that drunken people don’t care what other people think about what they are doing at that moment? Well, there was such a man at that meeting that night. We noticed him staggering around the back, laying his hands on people. As he did, they would fall to the ground. God was using that man as a Holy Spirit conduit. Some would laugh with Holy Spirit laughter; others would shake under the power of the Holy Spirit. I looked over at him, and we made eye contact, and he headed my way. I had my arm in Bill’s arm, but when the man got over to me, he reached out with one finger and touched my arm. I immediately fell to the ground and began shaking violently. Bill had to let go of my arm.

For 20 minutes or so, I shook so hard. At one point, a woman came over to me and asked if I was in good shape. I told her I was, and she just said, “Then, more Lord.” And off I went again. It finally subsided a little so that I could get up. But I needed help back to the room.

The next day, we went back to the morning session. As the speaker began speaking something about the Father’s love, I felt the presence of God and began to cry. I asked the Lord what had gone on the night before. “What was that all about?” I heard these words: “I was shaking out of you the strongholds of your life and birthing who you are.” From that day on, the fear that had guided my life left. The stronghold had been broken. I became a different person through that unusual encounter with God.

Prayer

I open myself up, Lord, to a life-changing encounter with You. I want Your presence to invade, to shake off anything that I’m carrying that is not of You. Reveal to me any areas of my personality that do not align with Your design for me. Have Your way in me, God. I give up my right to understand, control, or maintain my dignity before others. I want You, whatever the cost.