A very effective way to pray is with a model to follow. The best model I used early on, which is still a pattern I use quite often, is the acronym ACTS prayer model. The ACTS prayer model follows the Lord’s prayer in its progression. When Jesus’ disciples came to him and asked them to teach them to pray, he responded, in Matthew 6:9-13, “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘“Our Father in Heaven, Holy is your name, Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’” The ACTS model follows Jesus’ prayer.
The ACTS prayer model stands for
A = Adoration
C = Confession
T = Thanksgiving
S = Supplication (meaning “ask”)
In other words, you begin praying by offering adoration, praise, and worship. This is simply stating to God that, as Jesus began with, he is holy. You can add many things that come to mind that are true: God is magnificent, he is powerful, he is perfect, he is good, he is loving, he is faithful. Let’s put that in the first person so it reads like what you would pray. “Heavenly Father, you are holy. Lord, you are magnificent, you are perfect and loving. God, you are faithful, and Lord I know you are a rescuer every day of my life.”
You can add so much more. The Psalms have great truths to pray about and give praise to the Lord. For example, you could pray the words of Psalm 150:
“Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.”
Another scripture-based praise is from Revelation 5:12-13:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and praise! Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them saying: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!”
The next element in the Lord’s prayer is confession. This is a vital part of praying, as we all deal with sins and faults in our lives. This step is simple: be honest with the Lord. He already knows everything about your life! You can come to him without shame, regret, or embarrassment. When my kids were young, every now and then one would approach my wife with a story of something they did that they knew was wrong. Their honest heartfelt confession drew compassion and mercy from her as a parent. She would relate these special moments when I would return from a day of teaching. I was always moved and challenged by the ways she was gracious and compassionate to our children. We love our kids. God loves his kids. God loves you. Tell him what is on your heart and mind. If you are not quite sure, ask him to show you if there is anything in the way of your relationship with him. David the Psalmist wrote, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23,24)
Whenever I have entered into a time of prayer and asked this, quieted my heart, and waited, something has usually come to mind. I then confess it to the Lord and thank him for his forgiveness and continue praying. If I get nothing else I thank him for the peace he gives and I move on. God wants clear communication with us. Have you ever had someone do something that bothered you and misused your friendship? Then you know the barrier that is between you that can only be resolved by an honest talk. And when that happens and forgiveness is offered all is well again and there is such a feeling of freshness!
With God, he gives a gentle conviction about matters we need to take care of. He is never harsh or demeaning. He never condemns. He gently urges, and that is a gentle nudge towards showing us how to live a life of freedom. Sin brings shame, guilt, and even bondage. In contrast, Jesus announced, “I have come that you may have life, and life to the full!” (John 10:10) And again, “So if the Son sets you free you are free indeed!” (John 8:36) John the Apostle, wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
Take time with your confession before the Lord. There have been times when I have confessed things to the Lord and it has brought me to tears. I stay in that posture knowing the Lord receives my confession, and I feel his lovingkindness envelop me and reassure me that no sin can separate me from him and that his love is secure – as is his great power to foster growth and strength in him.
Discipleship is a process of growth and the Lord is committed to leading us through our own issues and mistakes. It didn’t bother him to take Moses, who had committed murder, as well as Paul the Apostle who was guilty of consenting to the same, or Mary, a woman who had been possessed by demons, as those he would lead through the issues of their past to become true disciples who would live and in some cases, die for him. God can and will do the same for you. No matter what your past, no matter what your tendencies, confess them to the Father and he is faithful and just to forgive your sins and lead you into all righteousness.
After confession, is thanksgiving. It is vital to thank the Lord. What do you thank him for? First of all, thank him for who he is! God is good in every way. He saves us through faith in the cross of Jesus Christ. Christ’s resurrection gives us the power to live. Thank you, Lord, for the cross, and for your resurrection! Consider all of the ways he has been good to you, provided for you, rescued you, delivered you, healed you, and sustained you. More than what he has done for you is the fact that you are his child. Thank him for his incredible love for you and for bringing you into his family! If you are in a vibrant church thank him for the blessing of growing alongside brothers and sisters, and being cared for by pastors who shepherd you and teach you so you continually grow in Christ. You can also thank him for the tests and trials that draw you close to him and teach you strength and endurance.
There is an important truth about the act of thanksgiving you need to understand. Thanksgiving is the offering we give to the Lord that ushers us into his presence. In Psalm 100:4 the author writes that we should, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving…” The picture in this Psalm is of the congregation of Israel singing aloud together as they entered together through the gates to the temple, approaching the place where they would experience the presence of God. When we give thanks to the Lord, that expression offers us the same experience – to walk into the place where God dwells and to experience him. I have learned over the years that when my faith is flat, when I am in a funk and there seems to be no spiritual vitality, when I begin to thank the Lord and make that list grow, speaking to him about who he is and what he has done, I once again begin to sense his Spirit and I know the act of thanksgiving has ushered me into his presence. Thankfulness is an interesting phenomenon that science has shown makes a massive impact on our whole system. People that practice thankfulness have less anxiety, less disease, they have longer, they have more enjoyable lives, better work experiences, and better relationships.4 God has given us a mechanism that is wonderful, and powerful! Thankfulness gets God’s attention. It says to him we recognize his goodness and faithfulness. I’m sure you like getting a compliment every now and then. Think of what a genuine compliment does for you – it makes you beam on the inside. It is like food for your soul. When we thank the Lord we are going beyond just a compliment – we are truly looking at our Father and telling him how we appreciate who he is in his character. He is good. He is kind. He is Faithful. Amen.
The final element in the ACTS prayer model is supplication, which is the action of asking. We have already covered the ways to ask earlier, but it bears a reminder. When it comes to supplication, there is the definite pursuit of what you are requesting by asking, seeking and knocking. This is the time to ask the Lord for all things personal, relational, physical, and financial… add to the list. What you pray about is what God responds to. So ask! Again, continue to bring your requests to God. And remember the promises of God about your requests: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know he hears us – whatever we ask – we know we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5:14,15)