How To Soak In Prayer - Soaking In God's Presence
By Pam Watson
Rest / Waiting On The Lord / Tarrying / How To Soak In Prayer Before The Lord
Psalm 37:7 "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him."
This essentially is what “soaking” is. When we soak in God's presence, we are in a place of rest where we wait upon Him. The old timers spoke of tarrying. This is where they would spend long hours waiting on the Lord. Many times however they were waiting to be filled with the Holy Spirit and their waiting was more a form of pleading and trying to get to the place where they felt ready to receive the Holy Spirit. Fortunately we have gained more understanding of the Word and the heart of God and know that the Lord desires to pour out His Spirit upon us. Soaking in the Lord therefore, while similar to tarrying, has an emphasis on rest and receiving by faith, as opposed to striving and crying out to God.
Saturated With God
To soak something, is more than a five minute dip. It is allowing it to become saturated and full of what it is soaking in. If you take a cucumber and place it in vinegar and spices for a few minutes, then eat it, it still tastes like cucumber. But if you take that cucumber and soak it in that solution for a couple of weeks it no longer tastes like cucumber – it has become a pickle. It has taken on the flavour of that solution.
Soaking involves becoming saturated with God so that we take on God’s flavour or nature. Too often we “taste” of flesh. But God wants us to be transformed into the image of His Son and carry his fragrance and flavour. |
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"When we soak, we behold God. As we do, we become like Him. We cannot do this and remain the same."
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Transformed From Glory To Glory
2 Cor. 3:18 "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."
When we soak in God’s presence, we begin to behold Him. As we do, we become like Him. Soaking in God’s presence enables us to behold the Lord. We cannot do this and remain the same. We are changed from glory to glory and transformed to be more like Him.
Waiting on the Lord
Is. 40: 31 "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."
This familiar verse reveals that something happens when we wait on God. Who He is, starts to get on us and in us. This divine exchange of His strength for our weakness and His ability instead of our frailty and inadequacy, happens because we spend time waiting on Him.
Many of us have experienced this in our day to day lives. When we spend time with the Lord in the mornings our day is empowered. As we soak in God’s presence this effect is intensified.
Adoration / Adoring God
Soaking is also about delighting in and adoring the Lord.
Song of Solomon 2: 3-5 "Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Sustain me with cakes of raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am lovesick."
Soaking in God’s presence is like coming and sitting in His shade and being fed with the fruit of His presence. Like the bride in the Song of Solomon, we can do this with great delight. This passage also speaks of the progression that usually follows where He brings us to the banqueting house or house of wine. This is something that only the Lord can do, but it starts with us coming and sitting in His presence. As we do so, so we are taken into deeper realms of experiencing His love for us, which is likened to being in a house of wine. This not only increases our love for the Lord, but can result in outward manifestations in those who have drunk the wine of His presence. It is not unusual for people to laugh, shake or cry and sometimes this experience is referred to as “drinking.”
Be Still And Know That I Am God
Ps.46: 10 "Be still and know that I am God"
Again this exhortation tells us that when we are still or soaking in God’s presence there will come a knowing or experiencing of God. There is a weight or glory to His presence that we can experience as we are still before Him. It is hard at times to come to this place though because our flesh is very active and often takes a while to settle. What we do with our bodies however is a powerful declaration in the realm of the spirit. When we lie down in God’s presence it is a statement of surrender and a posture of rest that the Lord will honour.
It helps to play worship music while we are soaking. Music sets the atmosphere and worship music opens our heart and causes our spirit to rise in adoration. Worship is the love call of the saints and as we simply love and adore Him, we will experience the richness of His presence in even greater degrees.
Soaking does quieten the flesh and allows our spirit to ascend. As this happens, we become conscious that we are a spirit that lives inside a body. As our spirit starts to rise up in adoration and communion with the Lord, we can get to the place where our body is totally at rest, but our spirit is awake and receiving from the Lord (Dan.10:9).
The Results Of Being In His Presence
Revelation is often the fruit of soaking in God’s presence. The Lord delights in revealing the secret counsel of His heart; dealing with issues that need to be addressed and bringing wisdom to our situation and needs.
The scope of all that is made available to us, as we soak or wait upon the Lord, is revealed in Psalm 27. David climaxes this psalm with his declaration in verse 14.
Ps. 27: 14 "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!"
The exhortation to wait on the Lord is the key to everything that David expresses within this psalm.
v. 1 – 3 confidence and strength in facing the enemy
v. 4 – 5 his desire to dwell in the house or presence of God all the days of His life
v. 6 – 8 sacrifices of joy and the seeking of God’s face
v. 9 – 13 victory over the enemy and seeing the goodness of God
All these things flow from the presence of God and are laid hold of through waiting on God - or in other words, through soaking in His presence.
Is. 30: 15-17 "For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not, and you said, “No, for we will flee on horses” - Therefore you shall flee! And, “We will ride on swift horses”- Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift! One thousand shall flee at the threat of one, at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left as a pole on top of a mountain and as a banner on a hill."
The Lord encourages us here that salvation, which means wholeness, stems out of returning and resting in Him. This is a picture of soaking, and speaks of trusting in what He alone can do. The fruit of resting in Him is quietness and confidence. This becomes the source of our strength.
Unfortunately our flesh is very strong and wants to rule. Our tendency is to want to do, do, do. Soaking in God’s presence is an insult to the flesh because it is required to do nothing. This is what these people struggled with, and they refused to return and rest in God. As a result they discovered that their fleshly abilities were not equal to the assignment against them. They thought that their “horses” were strong enough to get them through and when their efforts failed, they did not turn to the Lord, but doubled their efforts. The result was that they were left as a pole on top of a mountain. Literally, it means that they were a tree stripped of its branches. In other words, they had no fruit and appeared lifeless.
Verse 18 "Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him."
How gracious the Lord is! Because they would not wait, He waited until they were as a lifeless pole and He was exalted. Then He could minister to them. How much better it is for us to wait on Him! Someone has to wait. When we choose to be the one that waits, then the Lord is able to be gracious, have mercy, reveal His justice and bless our lives. What wonderful fruit, and all because we chose to wait on Him.
Soaking is worth the effort. It takes time and it takes dying to self but the rewards are great. Not only do we increase our awareness of the Lord’s presence, but all the fruit or benefits of His presence are released into our lives.
Soaking is something that can be done privately in our own home whenever we choose. There is something powerful however about doing it in a group. When believers gather together there is a corporate anointing and finding the presence of God is easier.
Enter in, and enjoy!
Ray & Pam Watson pastor Pursuit church in Auckland, New Zealand
Music for Soaking Centers & Prayer Room Ministries
Do you have soaking prayer meetings like IHOP (International House of Prayer) or TACF (Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship)?
The Secret Place offers music for both personal prayer and soaking times, and also corporate meetings. If you run a prayer house or have a soaking service, this music will engage the listener in intimate worship. The songs of worship captivate the heart as people soak in prayer.
Soaker service music
Buy Soaking Prayer Music
Visit our online store to buy soaking prayer cds for your house of prayer or soaking center.
Soaking Music Resources
Free Online Soaking Music Internet Radio
More free soaking worship music selected from The Secret Place in our online players - a great resource for those wanting to spend hours soaking.
Soaking Worship Instructions
An article with keys on how to soak in prayer.
Free Soaking Downloads
Download our soaking prayer music for free.
International House of Prayer Kansas City
An article on experiencing the soaking worship music of IHOP - a conference report.
Catch The Fire (Toronto Revival) - Christian Soaking Prayer Kits
Instruction on soaking prayer setting - this resource includes an introduction to soaking which gives us a biblical basis for soaking and what exactly it is. It will give you key scriptures and walk you through getting into a more intimate relationship with God. It also gives a brief overview about Catch the Fire Ministries. Manuals and soaking leaflets also available.
Soaking Leaflet - A Biblical Basis for Soaking
Your Step-by-Step Gide to Soaking in God's Presence.
- Move about quietly and be sensitive to others.
- Find Yourself a space and get comfortable.
- Settle down and open your heart to the Lord.
- Listen to the worship and let the Holy Spirit come.
Definitions:
Soak : to become thoroughly wet, or saturated by immersion, to drink excessively, to become drunk, to take in, to soak up.
Lie Down: to place oneself, or be in a prostrate position in order to rest. To accept without protest or opposition.
Quiet : to be untroubled, free from activities or distractions. Still. Calm.
Rest : to relax from exertion, or labor, to repose or sleep, a pause or interval.
Listen : to concentrate on hearing something, to take heed or pay attention.
Wait : to stay in one place, or remain inactive in expectation of something.
Soaking Christian Music Albums CDs
A selection of other Christian soaking music artists and their recordings.
Christian Instrumental Soaking Music
Experience purely instrumental soaking music - perfect for relaxing in the peace of His presence.
Instrumental Music
Listen to a selection of instrumental acoustic guitar music. These gospel instrumental songs are sure to delight your soul as you soak and listen online.
Soaking in God's Word
Spend time soaking in His presence with these scriptures.
How to Soak in Prayer
