How to Lead Students in a Soaking Session

School Culture

Encountering the intimate presence of God is the gateway to the supernatural! When we soak in His presence, we are radically transformed into His likeness. We learn to hear His voice, we learn to see Him, and we are anointed to walk in miracles, signs, and wonders.

For some, soaking opens up the door to visions, angelic visitations, or out of body experiences. Others have physical manifestations of electricity, heat, weeping, and more. Whether or not we dramatically experience the spirit realm or physical manifestations, we get to receive the greatest gift: His presence. When we stop and spend time with Him, we receive a deposit of His Spirit in our innermost being, renewing and strengthening us to fulfill our destinies.

Today, we want to encourage you with tips on how to lead your students to soak in God’s presence! The fruit of intimacy with Him is a lifestyle full of the supernatural. By creating space for them to encounter greater measures of His Spirit, they will be transformed into revivalists that reveal the King and His kingdom. 

The Practice of Rest

Soaking is a posture of surrendering and resting in the presence of God that revitalizes our spirits and aligns us with truth! The Bible says to“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.” (Psalm 37:7, NKJV) As we wait upon the Lord, any burdens we may be carrying are released and we become more sensitive to His presence. The Prophet Isaiah said that those who wait upon Him will “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 40:31, NKJV)

While there are times to present our requests to the Lord or press in for breakthrough, it’s equally important for us to create space in our lives to sit quietly before Him and allow Him to minister to us. By letting go of the busyness of the day and becoming quiet before Him, He leads us into deep places of peace and connection. As we give the Lord permission to work in our hearts, we learn to take on His easy yoke and light burden (Matthew 11:30).

Here are some other verses that reveal the great value of being saturated in the presence of God!

  • “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, NKJV)
  • “Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me.” (Psalm 131:2, NKJV)
  • “Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.” (Psalm 4:4, NKJV)
  • “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14, NKJV)
  • “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, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:9-11, NKJV)

Leading a Soaking Session

To grow in awareness of God’s presence and affection, we encourage you to lead your students in a soaking session!  Below are some easy steps you can take to teach your students the art of soaking. 

1. Share the Benefits of Soaking

Before you lead your students in soaking, share the incredible benefits of spending time in God’s presence! You can talk about how soaking has revitalized you, increased your awareness of the Holy Spirit, or led to encounters that have transformed your life. This will increase expectancy amongst students for this time and impart vision to develop a lifestyle of abiding in the Lord. Also, we encourage you to review scriptures that demonstrate the importance of coming to the Lord for strength and greater levels of intimacy.

If your students are new to soaking, it’s often helpful to communicate a specific goal for the exercise. For instance, you can ask the Holy Spirit for a specific question that your students can ask Him during this time or to highlight a specific theme (e.g. identity, relationships, emotional or physical healing, etc.). He may direct you to just have students practice remaining still before Him and focus on His goodness. There is no right or wrong way of leading this time! Remember, the purpose of soaking is to help students learn to engage with and receive from the Lord. As you follow Holy Spirit’s lead, take risks and enjoy seeing your students experience Him.

2. Create a Soaking Atmosphere

Find a space that is quiet, restful, and free of distractions for your students to soak in God’s presence. Turn off cell phones, dim the lights in the room, turn on worship music, and take any other steps to create an atmosphere that will help your students connect with Him! Also, invite your students to get comfortable by resting in a chair or lying on the floor. This posture of rest will help them tap into the fullness of rest, love, and truth.

3. Provide Space for Students to Debrief and Share

At the end of soaking time, invite your students to share what they experienced. Celebrate what they received from God, how they felt Him, or if they experienced a shift in their hearts, mindsets, or bodies. You may find that some students had similar encounters with God or heard the same messages. Highlighting these moments will reaffirm students’ connection with God’s presence and teach them the language of the Spirit.

Also, don’t be afraid to make room for students to share and impart what they receive from one another! You may have a student share a significant testimony from this time that is a source of encouragement for others. Ask that student to pray over the group and release that breakthrough he or she experienced. It will encourage the group to practice soaking in small groups or on their own, and build expectation for encounters.

Now Enter In

We pray your students would powerfully experience the love and power of God as they enter in! May they be constantly refreshed, affirmed, and empowered as they are drawn more deeply into His presence.

To learn more about soaking, check out the resources below:

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