Soaking

BCF is a certified Catch the Fire Ministries Soaking Prayer Centre.

It is great just to take time out from the busyness of life and spend time in God’s presence allowing the Holy Spirit to minister to our minds, bodies and souls.
‘They that wait on the Lord will renew their strength’.

Many people leave the Soaking, refreshed and renewed and this ‘waiting on the Lord’ has become an integral part of our lives.

*****************************************************************************************************************

Outlined below is some information from Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship (TACF), giving a scriptural basis for soaking prayer.

Psalm 23:1-3 – “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul …”

Psalm 4:4 – “Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.”

Psalm 37:7 – “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him.”

Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Isaiah 40:29-31 – “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Psalm 27:14 – “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord!”

What is soaking? During previous revivals people referred to it as “waiting on the Lord” or “tarrying” as they lingered expecting God’s revival blessings. Although “soaking” includes waiting on the Lord, in this present move of the Spirit it means much more than that.

To “soak” in God’s presence is to rest in His love rather than to “strive” in prayer. As the person receiving a touch from God begins to connect with the reality of the Holy Spirit’s presence, he often responds by falling or simply lying on the floor. As he rests expectantly in God’s presence, often the Holy Spirit hovers over the person to reveal more of God’s love and to renew and repair areas of a person’s life. As the believer soaks in God’s presence, the Lord takes control and begins to draw his attention to God’s word either in the scriptures or through internal audible impressions or pictures he sees in his mind’s eye.

Why do I need to soak? There is a deep need in every one of us to be close to God. Experiencing God is something to be sought after and not avoided. While we base our theology on God’s Word, our experiences with God make it all come alive. The Bible is a book telling the experiences of men and women throughout history, whose lives were changed through divine encounter.

Your life will be changed as well as you encounter Him. Soaking prayer is something that you can do in your own home. You can be alone, or just with your spouse or children, or you can invite several friends over who can take turns praying for one another.

How do I soak? You may want to sit in a chair or lie down, the main thing is to be in a safe place so you can be vulnerable. Set your affection on Jesus. You might like to soak while listening to intimate worship music with meaningful words that quiet your soul and help you draw near to God. As you reflect on the cross and all that Jesus has lovingly purchased for you, begin confessing your sins to Him and longing to be close to Him.

After a few moments, you will become aware of the Holy Spirit’s unseen presence. Experiencing God’s presence is what will cause you to love the Lord with all your heart and soul. (Matthew 22:37) Humble yourself before Him. Give all your worries and cares to the Lord talking to Him about them. Pray a prayer like this. “Lord Jesus, I invite You to come and search my heart. Come close and let me know your love.” Let worship rise up inside you and give yourself to the Lord. If you become distracted, then re-focus on Jesus. Remind yourself why you are soaking and listen to the worship music.

How long do I continue soaking? It usually takes about fifteen minutes to quiet the business of life and enter into rest. But Jesus wants you to enter into His rest, so we need to take quality time with Him. You cannot force or hurry this. The idea is not to “get” something but to “be” with someone. Take time just to be with Him; to love Him and let Him love you. If you fall asleep, that’s OK. If you are interrupted, you can always come back for more. You will know when your time is finished. You will feel a satisfaction in your heart and a release to go and get on with life.

Occasionally people can become quite emotional during soaking prayer. God may want to touch deep places in the heart. There are often areas of past wounding where we are very reluctant to go. That is often the very place that the Lord wants you to revisit so that He can bring freedom and healing to areas of fear and pain. It is helpful to have friends and even experienced ministry people in the room so they can love you through this and help reassure you to go ahead in faith in order to, so as to bring closure to these areas.