There is an invitation going out to all who are weary. To those who are thirsty!
To the waiting, or those who need replenishing.

And to you, who simply long for more of God.

Hear your Father say,

“Come, feast on the abundance of My house. Drink from the river of My delights.

I am your Fountain.” [1]

Soaking Prayer: 5 Keys to Staying Filled with the Holy Spirit in Prayer

‘Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters!’ (Is 55:1)

1. Hear Jesus’ Invitation to You Personally

“Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38)

Here is a key:

Before Jesus spoke of the rivers of living water pouring out, He said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” (John 7:37b)

Jesus’ invitation stands. “Come to me and drink!”

Yes, there is a glorious, one-time experience of being baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5).

• And there is also a lifestyle of ongoing infilling and encounter with God (Acts 4:31)

“…be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18). Paul writes ‘be filled’ in the present continuous tense in the Greek. [2]

This is a way of life Jesus invites you to join Him in.

2. Be Both a Receiver and a Releaser

‘Freely you have received, freely give.’ (Matt 10:8)

Jesus’ disciples spent quality time with Him. Then, from that relationship, they gave to others (Mark 3:14).

It was their way of life, and a lesson they never forgot.

As Apostles, they later declared,
“Let others take that extra responsibility and those tasks!
We will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” (see Acts 6:4)

Spending time with Jesus continued to be their priority.

God has designed you to live in the same rhythm of receiving and releasing—and over again.

So, if you have been giving more than receiving lately, know this:

You can only bear lasting fruit as you’re connected to Jesus, your Source. (John 15:5)

3. Position to Receive from God in Prayer

There are many types of prayer.
Prayer can be travail or triumph. It can be worship or work.
There are times to labor in prayer.
To persevere.

All can be led by the Holy Spirit.

But there is another type of prayer, in which you relate to God as your Source—your Fountain.

Hear Jesus say, ‘Beloved, I am waiting in the place of appointment with you!’

This kind of prayer is not focused on tasks or requests but is about appreciating Him as a Person.
Encountering Him. And receiving from Him.

What that looks like will be unique to you, and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

• Your heart may be lifted in worship
• You may be focused on Jesus, or drawn to the love of your Father
• Praying in the Spirit, in an attitude of adoration
• “‘Looking to see what He will say to you” (Hab 2:1)
• Or recalling or meditating on a Scripture, one that is life-giving to you
• You are open in that moment to receiving an empowering (impartation) of the Holy Spirit.

And always, the Holy Spirit wants to convey a message from the heart of the Father to you.

Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, listening avidly and receiving wholeheartedly (Luke 10:39). At that moment, she was drinking of His words, His teaching, His Presence.
She was captivated.

Jesus commended Mary, and the story was recorded in Scripture for our benefit.

4. Take Time for Soaking (Drinking) Prayer

‘As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.’ (Psalm 42:1)

A word that is sometimes used for this type of prayer is ‘soaking’. To soak simply means, to drench or wet thoroughly.

Like intimate friends or family members who can enjoy each other’s company in silence, you do not always have to talk to God.

Your relationship has moved beyond the place where you have to fill it with words.

Take time to pause.

Know that God is your Fountain (Ps 36:9)
He is your Spring of living water (Jer 2:13)
And He wants to be that TO you.

5. Be Filled to Overflowing

The natural tendency in our busy, service-oriented life is to downgrade the importance of this kind of prayer.

And yet, it is vital.

Placing yourself in a position to encounter God in prayer saturates and empowers you.

• This is also the most unselfish thing that you can do

It delights your Father, who created you for intimacy with Him.
It honors Him.
And then, it overflows from you onto others.

So, why not pause right now and take some moments to say,

‘Yes Lord. Quench my thirst. I receive from You now.’

Notes:

This article is adapted from a video message on the Enliven School of Intimacy and Prayer.

[1] The quote is based on Psalm 36:8-9

[2] HAYFORD, J W, Ed. The Spirit-Filled Life Bible.  1991.  Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

There was a Time When I was a Burnt-Out Intercessor

Those of us who are intercessors—especially those who have a responsibility in prayer, such as leadership or a prayer assignment—know what it means to give.
To care.
And at times, to feel depleted.

I’ve been there—a burnt-out intercessor. I know what it’s like to hit rock bottom, and it’s not a good place to be.
I confess that in the past, it’s always been easier for me to achieve than to receive! Even in prayer.

What has helped is learning that the Lord wants to spend time with me. That’s the desire on HIS heart.

And a lesson I want to share with you.

Related Posts

4 Benefits of Soaking Worship

Receive Courage to Pray, “Keep Coming Holy Spirit!”

Is this Topic Speaking to You?

Discover more on the School of Intimacy and Prayer

This past week I have added new resources on the Prayer School on the topic of ‘How to stay filled with the Spirit through soaking prayer’, including a transcript and ideas for activation.

You can find out more or join the School of Intimacy and Prayer here. Alternatively, you can view all online courses, including the Prophetic School, here.

© 2019 Helen Calder Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching
Enliven Ministries
In the David McCracken Ministries family

Helen Calder

Helen Calder is a prophetic minister and writer, and founder of Enliven Ministries. Helen has a unique gift of equipping in prophetic ministry and prayer. She is known for Enliven Blog (est. 2009), an online resource that reaches thousands of people globally.