Are you struggling with your prayer life? Do you feel disconnected from God and like He isn’t answering your prayers? Get ready for that to change! Welcome to the A.C.T.S. method of prayer. Not to be confused with the Book of Acts in the Bible.
A.C.T.S. stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.
A: ADORATION, How do I Adore God? During this part of the prayer method, spend time worshipping and praising God. Take a reverent posture as you acknowledge all the truths of God’s character. You may even find lying on your Face, in awe at being in His presence.
A Sample Prayer of Adoration: You are God alone; there is no other God and there never has been and there never will be. You are the Lord and there is no other Savior. From eternity to eternity You alone are God. All honor and glory belongs to You forever and ever! You are the eternal King, the unseen One who never dies; You alone are God. Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
C: CONFESSION, What is Confession? Despite God already knowing your sins, He wants you to humble yourself, ACKNOWLEDGE THEM, and ASK HIS FORGIVENESS. The best news in the world,
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to FORGIVE US our sins and to CLEANSE US from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) To confess our sins we simply tell God what we’ve done and ask Him to forgive us. If we are sincerely sorry and want to turn away from our sin, He will IMMEDIATELY cleanse us.
A Sample Prayer of Confession: Dear Lord, I’m sorry for my sin against you. I’m sorry for my sin against others. Forgive me for the sin in my heart. Please give me the strength to forgive others as you’ve forgiven me. I want to live under Your authority.
T: THANKSGIVING, What is Thanksgiving? The definition of Thanksgiving is the expression of gratitude, especially to God.
This part of the prayer method is focused on thanking God specifically for all He has done for us. When we take time to count our blessings, we shift our focus from what we don’t have to what WE DO HAVE. It also becomes abundantly clear just how the Lord has blessed us. Something wonderful happens when we thank God for His many provisions. Our perspective changes, our heart changes, and our attitude changes.
A Sample Prayer of Thanksgiving: Dear Lord, thank you for all your many blessings. Thank You for this beautiful earth filled with Your beauty and wonder. Thank You for your financial provision in our life.
S: SUPPLICATION, What is Supplication? Any situation in which you must entreat someone in higher power for help.
The act of humbly and earnestly presenting our requests to the Lord. We may pray God-centered prayers, we may pray God-Commanded Prayers, we may pray for others and we may pray for ourselves.
A Sample supplication Prayer: Please Father order the steps of our president, Our Father in heaven hallowed be your name, release godly-sorrow in the hearts of my unsaved loved ones, help me to grow in humility.
-Bill Stockham