What
is ‘Soaking Worship?
‘Soaking worship’ has
become a familiar term in church life today, but what do we mean by it?
As
the name suggests, soaking worship has two aspects.
· Worship speaks of the giving of our
adoration, honour and love to God
· Soaking speaks of receiving and
drinking from God
Soaking worship means
that we are simultaneously focused on both giving and receiving.
At first
glance, this appears to be a contradiction.
It
has often been said that worship should be a one-way giving of our adoration to
God, not expecting anything in return. However, the Bible reveals that God’s
desire has always been for
communion, relationship and encounter.
The tabernacle was an
early place of worship that God referred to as, ‘the tabernacle of
meeting where I will meet with you.’ (Exodus
30:36)
The key elements of
soaking worship are:
· An attitude of worship
· Being positioned to encounter God
· Spending quality, unhurried time.
‘As the deer pants
for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.’ (Ps 42:1)
The Psalms give us
glimpses of the worshiper’s heart. In Psalm 63, David expresses both his
longing and thirst for God and his worship of God. The two go hand in hand.
There is something in
our hearts and spirits that can only be satisfied in the place of worship.
How
Soaking Worship Takes Place
Soaking worship can
take place either privately or publicly. However, by its very nature, soaking
worship is personal.
I sometimes lead into
a type of ‘soaking worship’ session when ministering in conferences and camps.
This enables individuals to encounter God and gives the Holy Spirit room to
minister and take the teaching of God’s word deeper—from heads into hearts.
When
our hearts are open in worship and an attitude of surrender, we are open to
receive the ministry of the Holy Spirit more than any other time.
Methods have arisen
to facilitate worship soaking in
groups or publicly. There is even a ‘soaking’
sub-genre of worship music. Whilst these can be helpful tools to
assist us, it is important to remember that soaking worship is not about a
formula, style, or method.
Each of us encounters
and worships God in a very unique way—and we also have individual tastes as to
what type of music touches our hearts and connects us in worship to God.
4
Benefits of Soaking Worship
Here are 4 benefits
of taking intentional time for soaking worship:
1.
Soaking Worship Fosters Intimacy with God
Taking time in God’s
Presence to love, worship and appreciate Him as well as to receive from Him
helps develop our intimate relationship with Him.
We
open our heart’s door and welcome Jesus in to commune with us.
(Rev 3:20)
We catch a revelation
of the Father’s heart, His grace and His love. In the light of His grace and
favour, we can open up the innermost places of our soul, where we have been
hurt and damaged—and in that space, the experience of His love can heal us.
2.
Soaking Worship Facilitates Encounter
Soaking worship
encourages individuals to have a personal encounter with God. We set aside
intentional time to worship and meet with Jesus.
3.
Soaking Worship Allows the Prophetic Ministry of the Spirit to Flow
Soaking worship times
encourage us to hear from God for ourselves as we open our hearts to Him. As we
position in His Presence, our Father births His dreams in our lives and speaks
of what is on His heart.
4.
Soaking Worship Provides Replenishment
Soaking worship also
has natural benefits. As we physically and mentally relax in God’s Presence it
helps relieve us from stress, pressure and anxiety.
The above are
personal benefits to the worshipper. However, God Himself delights in and
benefits from our times of encounter and worship of Him. ‘I am my
beloved’s and his desire is for me.’ (Songs Of Solomon 7:10)
Personal
Soaking Worship
Soaking worship is
something that we can incorporate into our personal times with God.
It is especially helpful during seasons when we have experienced weariness,
dryness or are at a crossroads when we need to hear what is on our Father’s
heart.
It is important to
remember that soaking worship is not a replacement for our devotional
life, although it can complement it. Our experience of God should always
be grounded in His Word and these times of encountering God should always
be balanced with times of Bible study.
Leading
Soaking Worship Sessions: Suggestions and Guidelines
If you are involved
in leading public soaking worship times, here are some important things to
remember:
· Be intentional about creating a safe
environment for people to encounter God.
· Have a plan to minister to anyone who
responds emotionally or who has a spiritual manifestation during a worship
soaking time. Creating a safe environment may require you appointing leaders
to—on the rare occasions it may be needed—take individuals aside and minister
to them separately from the group.
· Provide for those who have physical
needs or limitations to have a comfortable place to sit or rest.
· Acknowledge that some people are at
different places in their relationship with God, and have different comfort
levels of opening their hearts to Him. Allow people some different options in
how to position and respond during a soaking time.
· Being under spiritual oversight is
vital for any prophetic endeavour and a safety net for those who are
ministering in soaking worship sessions.
http://www.enlivenpublishing.com/blog/2015/09/01/4-benefits-of-soaking-worship-with-suggestions-and-guidelines/
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