Fire Place

Isaiah 64 (New International Version)

Isaiah 64

 1 Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
       that the mountains would tremble before you!

 2 As when fire sets twigs ablaze
       and causes water to boil,
       come down to make your name known to your enemies
       and cause the nations to quake before you!

 3 For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,
       you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.

 4 Since ancient times no one has heard,
       no ear has perceived,
       no eye has seen any God besides you,
       who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

 

So we wait.  We are His resting place, His habitation.  Come expecting.  Everyone welcome.  Come Lord Jesus.  The Spirit and the Bride say come.......Lets get our lamps filled with oil.  Let's be those wise virgins......

Your step-by-step guide to soaking in God's presence

The following is your step-by-step guide to soaking in God's 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". We're very good at the asking part... but how about the receiving? If we are the ones who are doing all the talking, it's really a one-way conversation. Soaking is the listening part of our conversation with Him. It's 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. God's 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 don't 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 don't become frustrated, we just simply urn 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 it's 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. It's about God's 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 don't 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. (don't 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 Lord's 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.