ACTS-A Biblical Model of Prayer

Adoration (Praise Him)

Psalm 108:1-5

My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises!  Wake up, my soul!  Wake up, O harp and lyre!  I will waken the dawn with my song.  I will thank you, Lord, in front of all the people.  I will sing your praises among the nations.  For you unfailing love is higher than the heavens.  Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.  Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.  May your glory shine over all the earth.

Psalm 100

Shout with joy to the Lord, O earth!  Worship the Lord with gladness.  Come before him, singing with joy.  Acknowledge that the Lord is God!  He made us, and we are His.  We are his sheep, the sheep of His pasture.  Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise.  Give thanks to him and bless His name.  For the Lord is good.  His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation.

Confession (Confess Your Sin)

Psalm 51 (excerpts)

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.  Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.  Wash me clean from my guilt.  Purify me from my sin.  For I recognize my shameful deeds-they haunt me day and night….Purify me from my sins and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.  Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me-now let me rejoice.  Don't keep looking at my sins.  Remove the stain of my guilt.  Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me…Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.  You would not be pleased with sacrifices, or I would bring them.  If I brought you a burnt offering, you would not accept it.  The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit.  A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise.

Psalm 32: 3-5

When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long.  Day and night Your hand of discipline was heavy on me.  My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.  Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them.  I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the Lord."  And you forgave me!  All my guilt is gone.

Thanksgiving (Thank Him)

Psalm 32:1-2

Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!  Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

Psalm 103: 8-13

The Lord is merciful and gracious; he is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love.  He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.  He has not punished us for all our sins, nor does He deal with us as we deserve.  For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.  He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west.  The Lord is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him.

Psalm 10:1-5

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.  He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.  He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see what He has done and be astounded.  They will put their trust in the Lord.  Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud, or in those who worship idols.  O Lord my God, you have done many miracles for us.  Your plans for us are too numerous to list.  If I tried to recite your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.

Supplication (Asking Him To Meet Your Needs & Praying for the Needs Of Others)

Psalm 65:1-2, 5

What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion.  We will fulfill our vows to you, for you answer our prayers, and to you all people will come.  You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God, our savior.  You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those on the distant seas.

Philippians 4:6-7

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.  If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.