Praise the Lord FBF and friends! Today we will be soaking in the presence of the Lord. Join us. 567-314-0153 enter 2213508. Your step-by-step guide to soaking in Gods presence The following is your step-by-step guide to soaking in Gods presence from the people at Catch The Fire Soaking Prayer Network and Catch The Fire Ministries of Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship: 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 The Other Half of the Conversation Jesus says, Ask and you will receive. Were very good at the asking part... but how about the receiving? If we are the ones who are doing all the talking, its really a one-way conversation. Soaking is the listening part of our conversation with Him. Its setting aside time to lie down and receive from Him. Just Relax One of the main barriers to encountering God is that we are simply trying too hard. Gods top tip to us is just relax. In Psalm 46:10, He put it this way, Be still and know that I am God. Literally translated this means, Cease striving and know that I am God. The way to know God is through peace and stillness. Quiet Times A peaceful environment on the outside helps us to come to peace on the inside. When we soak we simply put on some quiet instrumental or worship music and lie down. At first our minds will be whirring with thoughts, but we dont try and wrestle them. We just wait for them to settle, submitting our mind to the Holy Spirit. Meditating on the fact that the Lord is in our spirits, we believe He is right there with us. If we get distracted we dont become frustrated, we just simply turn our attention back to the Lord. Lying Down we have found that lying down is the best posture. It helps us physically relax and focus on the Lord. As we lie down its a statement to God that we are laying down our agendas. We are surrendering control. We surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit. It may feel foolish and offend our pride. Soaking is an act of humility. Human Beings (not Doings) At first we may have an internal Mary/Martha struggle. We feel, like Martha, that we should be doing something. But this is Mary time. Martha got caught up in the busyness of serving Jesus. Mary got caught up in Him. Soaking is not about how much we can accomplish by our own efforts. Its about Gods action in us. Child-like Faith Soaking is a Psalm 23 experience. He makes us to lie down in green pastures and He leads us by still waters. He restores our soul. As part of the restoration process we may find ourselves responding physically or emotionally. We might laugh, cry, or shake as the Holy Spirit works in us. The Holy-Spirit might give us a vision or bring a memory to our mind that He wants to heal. Often we enter into a deep rest. Perhaps we may fall asleep. Even if we dont feel anything happening, by faith we believe that the Lord is working in our spirit. Abide in the Vine Intimacy with God is the key to fruitfulness in every area of our lives. As we become more aware of His presence in us... so do other people. As we become more affected by His presence in us... so do those around us. By taking time in the secret place with God, we start to walk by the Holy Spirit in everyday life. We find that, rather than striving to achieve things for God, He is building His kingdom through us. Not by might, not by power, but by His Spirit. How To Soak Find a comfortable place to lie down. Allow the busyness of your thoughts to quiet down. (dont fight them) Invite the Holy Spirit to soak you in His presence. Pray and surrender yourself to the Holy Spirit - mind, body and soul. Focus on the Lords presence within you. Rest in faith, believing He is working in you. Take as much time as you can. (try to give yourself at least 20 minutes to begin to relax and receive.) Get up refreshed and full of the Holy Spirit. Watch as God changes you and the world around you. 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. 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 23:1-3 ...Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Psalm 4:4 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7 Come to Me, all you who labor 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. Matthew 11:28-30 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest. Hebrews 4:9-11 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. Isaiah 40:29-31 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! Psalm 27:14 Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you; The sure mercies of David. Isaiah 55:1-3 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus feet and heard His word. Luke 10:39
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 17:00:04 +0000
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