We are blessed to have groups such as the Reframe Prayer Ministry who care about Christians’ spiritual life and who do something to help out. The following is a well-known prayer tool put into print by Reframe Prayer Ministry.
‘Sometimes, all we need to kickstart our prayer life is a little structure. One simple tool is the acronym ACTS. This acronym helps us remember four major postures of prayer and it places them in order of importance, creating a natural flow for our prayers.
Adoration We start our prayers with worship. Adoration means to praise God, to celebrate who he is and what he means to us. For example, we might pray, “God, you are loving and care for me,” or “I praise you because you are powerful and holy.” Sometimes it may be helpful to recite a favorite Bible verse. We might pray the words of Psalm 100:5, “The Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
Confession From worship and adoration, we move to confession, admitting to God our sins and failures. What sin is keeping you distracted from growing in your faith? Who do you need to forgive? Who or what—instead of God—are you depending on for comfort and guidance? When we confess our sins to God, we open ourselves to God’s forgiveness. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9).
Thankfulness Confession frees our anxious minds to move confidently into thanking God for all he has done for us. Again, the psalms provide guidance on offering prayers of thankfulness. Let the words of Psalm 107:9 inspire your gratitude: “He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” If you created a list of everything you are thankful for, what would be your top ten? Could you create a different “top ten” every day for a week?
Supplication Lastly, we ask God for help. Supplication includes asking for help in the meeting of needs, direction for action, and intervention (or intercession) on behalf of others. When we pray, we humbly go before God with our requests, trusting that he listens to every word and will answer in his perfect way and time. Psalm 86:6-7 tells us why we bring our requests to God: “Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.”
Whether you are a seasoned prayer warrior or just getting started in your prayer life, we hope that the ACTS prayer acronym will help keep you focused and serve as an everyday guide for your prayers.’
