There is no magic formula for prayers but I like the ACTS model for short prayers: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. This is a simple way to remember that we need to approach the throne of God with reverence because he is Almighty God But we don’t have to follow a formula because God has promised to hear our thoughts and prayers even before we say them.
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising,
thou understandest my thought afar off.
Thou compassest my path and my lying down,
and art acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word in my tongue,
but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. (Psalm 139)
- Consider my meditation (Psalm 5)
- Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)
- Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26)
- Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18)
- “For I know their works and thoughts; the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see My glory. (Isaiah 66:18)
- Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:13)
Here are some simple examples. They might not apply to your situation but they give the basics of the ACTS model. I have prayed many variants similar to these examples with thousands of people in countless different situations. Prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. But I still feel like an immature child when I talk to God. I am grateful he remembers that we are dust so he doesn’t require great things. Therefore, I pray that God can use these to help you grow in your prayer life.
- In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence. (Ephesians 3:12)
- Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
- The five Psalms of “prayers” (17; 86; 90; 102; 142) describe the writer in dangerous situations and crying out for God to intervene.
Let me encourage you in this 21st century social media world, that you don’t just respond to prayer requests by saying you’re praying, but actually type out a prayer right there. It doesn’t have to be an opus magnum, just 5-7 short sentences is about perfect, and so much more meaningful than just a tenuous promise of future prayers.
ADORATION : Dear heavenly father…
You are the Alpha and the Omega, you know the beginning and the end, so this coronavirus didn’t surprise you and it didn’t change your plans for anything.
We know you knew us before we were born. You wrote our lives in your book. You counted the number of our days before we lived them. You had a plan for our life from before the foundation of the world.
We know you hold the whole world in the palm of your hand. Your eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show yourself strong on the behalf of those that love you.
We know you promised we could come to your throne of grace to find help in time of need. Dear Lord, this is one of those times. Please hear us today.
CONFESSION : We come to you today…
Lord, forgive us of the wrong things we have done, we lay our sins down at the foot of the cross.
Please forgive anything we have done that is separating us from your fellowship.
Forgive our selfish pride and idolatry of considering ourselves to be more important than others and putting us first.
Forgive our sin of bitterness against our family. Forgive our hurtful words and actions. Forgive our evil thoughts.
THANKSGIVING : We thank you…
Thank you for loving me. Thank you for dying for my sins. Thank you for rising from the dead. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit. Thank you for your guidance in my life.
We know when 2 or 3 are gathered together in your name that you have promised to be in the midst, so we thank you for being here and listening to our prayers.
We thank you for promising to give us the desires of our heart when we do what pleases you and ask for your will to be done.
We thank you for your Holy Spirit in our lives, your living word in our hands, and your indwelling life in our hearts.
SUPPLICATION : We ask you…
Dear Lord, if it be your will we pray for healing. Please take away the pain that we are feeling right now. Please give us supernatural peace.
Please restore the joy of our salvation. Help us to cast all our worries and anxieties upon you. Please give us supernatural peace that goes beyond our understanding.
Please plant a hedge of protection around our family. Send your angel armies to encamp around us. Preserve us from the evil one. Keep us in your will.
Help us to forgive our family as you have forgiven us. Help us remember their sins are covered by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for the sins of the whole world.
For deeper study of the ACTS model of prayer:
- 3 requirements for effectual fervent prayer: ask, seek, knock
- Principles of intercession, interceding, and intercessory prayer
- 10 mistakes most people make when praying
- 10 Ways Prayers are Hindered (#5 is Shocking)
- The power of biblical meditation
- How does one pray? I’ve never been taught how to say a personal prayer or really talk to God — The ACTS model will be helpful to you as you learn how to pray. ACTS stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.
- Is the ACTS formula for prayer a good way to pray? — The ACTS formula for prayer has been taught to children and new believers for many years. ACTS is an acronym that gives a basic model on how to pray: with Adoration, with Confession, with Thanksgiving, and with Supplication.
- Failure to pray causes dangerous malfunctions — “failure to…” often connotates a disastrous circumstance that has no remedy. This is even more true with “failure to pray” for Christians
Well answered!
Praise Jesus!
Biblical tongues was a language like English, Greek, etc.
When spoken, people of OTHER tongues understood.
1937 saw the introduction of gross misinterpretation of Scripture around this issue.
Some even claim that tongues are the sign of salvation.
That’s another gospel!!
Another spirit!
I am curious. I thought we were trying to develop spiritually. Intelligently I believe we have psychological and physical things worked out, we lack serious understanding about how our spirit works… Or what the Holy Spirit does in us. So with all of this talk about prayer why is there no coverage of what first Corinthians 14 says About praying with your spirit? Is Prayer talking to God? So why nothing said about 1Corinthians 14:2? Or all the Acts modeling why nothing about the tongues, which is actually languages, which is actually communication with God (again according to one Corinthians 14:2)? I don’t get it… According to 1Corinthians 14 it seems to be a key to open up or unlock mysteries God is bringing us or we need to understand… Isn’t that like giving us some kind of advantage to know things like that?… but what do I know? Last thought, is there any place in the NT outside of 1Corinthians 14:4 that specifically says this is how you edify (build) yourself (the spirit self where all the supernatural gifting/fruit is) besides maybe Jude 20 inferring the same thing? … just food for thought
Greetings Jeffrey,
Thank you for taking the time to write. I deeply appreciate your question. And, it is similar to when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray? Jesus answered with the beautiful practical prayer in Matthew 6 and Luke 11. I think we should listen to what Jesus said…
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. (Luke 11:1 KJV)
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. (Matthew 6:5-6 KJV)
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. (Luke 11:2-4 KJV; Matthew 6:5-15 KJV)
We should strive to follow Jesus’ teaching and example in prayer as in everything else.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20 KJV)
Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no occasions for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the assembly of God; even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:31–11:1)
The Bible does not give any restriction about how we are to talk with God. The Holy Spirit in us can intercede for us with groanings that cannot be uttered.
In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God. (Romans 8:26-27 WEB)
“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying. No one should seek his own good, but the good of others. (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)
But, when we are together, the Bible is very clear that everything should be done decently and in order because you are in charge, the Spirit of God never takes over your body and makes you do anything.
I thank my God, I speak with other languages more than you all. However in the assembly I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language. (1 Corinthians 14:18-19 WEB)
What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up. If any man speaks in another language, let it be two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the assembly, and let him speak to himself, and to God. Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others discern. But if a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first keep silent. For you all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted. The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the assemblies of the saints, (1 Corinthians 14:26-33 WEB)
I didn’t know how to pray in adoration but now I have known