The Blessing of "Soaking" Prayer

When Wanda Alger and her husband, pastors in Winchester, Virginia, learned about "soaking prayer," they decided to incorporate it into the life of their church.* They discovered that God would share His active presence with those who spent time worshiping Him with no agenda other than taking time to simply linger in His presence with an atmosphere of quiet worship music.

Earlier they had tried interspersing praise and worship with intercession, and though this brought a measure of success, it wasn't the same as "soaking" prayer.

Her husband Bobby felt led to set aside Saturday nights for soaking prayer to prepare for Sunday morning worship. They noticed a change in their services immediately. Although only a handful had participated, the tangible presence of God was evident the next morning. More people participated in singing, and the atmosphere was saturated with the sense of the Holy Spirit's work.

It didn't seem to matter how many were involved. God wasn't looking at numbers but the posture of their hearts. If only three people sincerely desired to align their hearts with His, God responded. 

People present in these times consistently testified of the "heavy weight" of God's presence. Every one was refreshed and renewed. After setting aside a significant time in His presence, their prayers were then not simply a list of needs but reflections of God's heart.

This principle of "soaking" prayer bringing God's presence is applicable to our individual as well as family lives also. God always responds with His manifest presence to hungry hearts desiring to draw closer to the Father.

Dear Jesus, teach us to seek for a divine visitation of Your awesome presence. 

"Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs" (Psalm 100:2).

Adapted from The Connecter, December 2014, Intercessors for America newsletter.