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A.C.T.S. Prayer Model

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There is such great freedom in prayer since it is simply communicating with God. If prayer were set on a schedule or with a formula, there wouldn't be any room for heartfelt expression. But if prayer is approached too casual, the effectiveness may be limited. What is the balance of freedom and structure?

Four broad types of prayer can be explained in the acronym A.C.T.S. Most every prayer will fall under one of these types. But a vibrant prayer life will probably incorporate each of these for a beautiful balance of remembering Who we are praying to, searching our hearts for anything that will hinder prayer, a time to be grateful and to think and support others.  These four types of prayer provide a useful and natural progression as we interact with the Lord. 

A.: Adoration is a prayer that praises and worships God. Through this type of prayer, we are not requesting anything from Him, merely adoring Him and honoring Him in our hearts. It turns our complete attention to proclaim Who God is, not simply what He can do for us. 
We are all wired to worship and we will give our hearts, attention, money, time and service to whatever we value the most. When we worship God wholeheartedly with our mouth and our lives we do the greatest thing for the greatest One. When we pray in adoration, our focus turns from ourselves, our situations, problems to the only One who is fully able to handle any situation or request. We are able to view all of life more properly when we've first prioritized praise.

C.: Confession is prayer that gets honest about sin. Getting right and staying pure before God is necessary to remain close to Him and be effective in prayer. God's Word, His Spirit and our conscience will reveal anything that is not right in our hearts. This exposing of sin is not to condemn us but an opportunity of grace to be washed and cleansed. 

T. Thanksgiving is God directed, humbly expressed gratitude. While praise focuses more on who God is, thanksgiving highlights what He has done. It is refreshing to pause and be reminded of the wonderful blessings God freely gives to each of us. 

S. Supplication is asking God for something. We are invited to come and pray, to ask, seek and knock. There is much wisdom in listing supplication last. Our hearts are purer and ready to pray in faith after we have set the tone with adoration, confessed our sins and given thanks to the Lord for all of His blessings. 
An important type of supplication is intercession which involves intervening for someone. It is one of the most loving things we can do for someone. 

A.C.T.S. is not a rigid requirement for prayer time, but striving to incorporate these in our prayer times make for a richer, more complete prayer experience. 

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