In this style of prayer we us the acronym ACTS:
Adoration
Confession,
Thanksgiving
Supplication.
We start out with something like "Father God" followed by words of adoration. Adoration means we adore God, with this part we fulfill the first Commandment in that we love our God with all our heart, mind, and soul. We tell God how great He is and how much we love Him. We praise Him for being our Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer. This is as much of a time of telling God how great He is, as it is of reminding ourselves of who God is.
Next we confess our sins.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.1 (1 John 1:8-10)
This is the time that we clear away the hurdles that separate us from having a close relationship with God. Our Souls will not allow us to get close to God if we have sin weighing us down. So we tell God how sorry we are as we name each sin and ask for forgiveness knowing that if we ask God will forgive. We confess sins of thought, word, and deed. Of what we have done and what we have left undone. We also ask forgiveness for the sins that we don't realize we have committed.
Next we thank God. This is the time that we say thank you to God who has given us everything. We also include specifically all previously answered prayer.
Finally is supplication and intercession. This the time in which we say prayers for other people and we ask for ourselves. Then we end with "in Christ's Name"
This is only a suggested structure that is easy to remember. We can do this style prayer in the order it is listed or we can improvise and pray in what every order we want. Understand that you should personalize it in some way. Think about what you are praying and mean what you say.
Adoration
Confession,
Thanksgiving
Supplication.
We start out with something like "Father God" followed by words of adoration. Adoration means we adore God, with this part we fulfill the first Commandment in that we love our God with all our heart, mind, and soul. We tell God how great He is and how much we love Him. We praise Him for being our Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer. This is as much of a time of telling God how great He is, as it is of reminding ourselves of who God is.
Next we confess our sins.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.1 (1 John 1:8-10)
This is the time that we clear away the hurdles that separate us from having a close relationship with God. Our Souls will not allow us to get close to God if we have sin weighing us down. So we tell God how sorry we are as we name each sin and ask for forgiveness knowing that if we ask God will forgive. We confess sins of thought, word, and deed. Of what we have done and what we have left undone. We also ask forgiveness for the sins that we don't realize we have committed.
Next we thank God. This is the time that we say thank you to God who has given us everything. We also include specifically all previously answered prayer.
Finally is supplication and intercession. This the time in which we say prayers for other people and we ask for ourselves. Then we end with "in Christ's Name"
This is only a suggested structure that is easy to remember. We can do this style prayer in the order it is listed or we can improvise and pray in what every order we want. Understand that you should personalize it in some way. Think about what you are praying and mean what you say.
1The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) . Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
