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--color-end: var(--bgcolor-content-end);" ><div class="content"> <div class="label gradient-to-tr" style="--color-start: #96445a; --color-end: #6f637e;">Question</div> <div class="sponsor-sidebar"><div class="desktop-show" align="center"><div class="adManager-placeholder"></div></div></div> <h1><span itemprop="name headline" property="og:title">Is the ACTS formula for prayer a good way to pray?</span></h1> <div class="actions-wrap"><div class="actions"> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="INTL/ACTS-prayer.html" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'intl'});"><img src="img/translate-icon.svg" alt="translate"></a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" property="og:video" href="https://youtu.be/z_VNGN8pLKI" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'video'});"><img src="img/logo-youtube.svg" alt="video" class="questionInteract"></a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://printer.gotquestions.net/GeneratePF?articleId=18146" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'print'});"><img src="img/print.svg" class="questionInteract" alt="ACTS prayer"></a> <span class="audio-icon"><img src="img/volume.svg" alt="audio" class="questionInteract"><audio controls preload="none" style="width:300px;height:25px"><source src="audio/ACTS-prayer.mp3" type="audio/mpeg"></audio></span> </div></div> <div itemprop="articleBody"> <div class="label gradient-to-tr" style="--color-start: #29a699; --color-end: #749c5a;">Answer</div><br><br> The ACTS formula for prayer has been taught to children and new believers for many years. <i>ACTS</i> is an acronym that gives a basic model on how to pray: with <u>A</u>doration, with <u>C</u>onfession, with <u>T</u>hanksgiving, and with <u>S</u>upplication. While prayer formulas can help us learn to pray, they do not necessarily make our prayers more effective or ensure that our prayers will be answered. This model for prayer is loosely based on the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13), except for thanksgiving.<br><br> <div class="youtube-player" data-id="z_VNGN8pLKI"></div><br> The ACTS model for prayer includes these elements:<br><br> <a href="theology-of-worship.html">Adoration</a> – The <i>A</i> in the ACTS model stands for adoration, which means worship—glorying and exalting God. Through adoration, we show our loyalty and admiration of our Father. As we pray, we are called to worship God in adoration. This could be a song of praise to Him, praying a psalm of worship, declaring His attributes, or a myriad of other forms of worship.<br><br> <a href="Christian-sin.html">Confession</a> – The <i>C</i> in the ACTS model stands for confession. The word <i>confess</i> means “to agree with.” When we confess our sins, we agree with God that we are wrong and that we have sinned against Him by what we have said, thought, or done. God forgives us and restores our fellowship with Him (1 John 1:9).<br><br> <a href="Bible-thankfulness-gratitude.html">Thanksgiving</a> – The <i>T</i> represents thanksgiving. Philippians 4:6 says, “With thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (ESV). How is thanksgiving different from adoration? The difference is that worship focuses on who God is; thanksgiving focuses on what God has done. We can thank God for many things including His love, salvation, protection, and provision.<br><br> <a href="prayer-of-supplication.html">Supplication</a> – The <i>S</i> stands for supplication, which refers to prayer for our and others’ needs. A supplication is a request or petition. We may pray for mercy (Psalm 4:1), leading (Psalm 5:8), wisdom (James 1:5), and much more. Paul encouraged us to make “supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18, ESV), which means to pray diligently for our brothers and sisters in Christ.<br><br> Is the ACTS formula for prayer biblical? The acronym itself isn’t found in the Bible, but it can serve as a guide, especially when we are learning how to pray. Remember, prayer isn’t a formula, and each prayer doesn’t have to cover every <a href="types-of-prayer.html">type of prayer</a>. God wants us to talk from our hearts and express ourselves to Him. As we grow in our love for Jesus Christ, we will naturally desire to talk to Him more.<br><br> </div> <section class="homepage-sponsor desktop-hide"> <div class="desktop-hide" align="center"><div class="adManager-placeholder-mobile"></div></div> </section> <div class="related resources"><h4>For Further Study</h4> <a target="_blank" rel="sponsored noopener" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'amazon'});" href="https://amzn.to/4j7wunX">The Prayer That Turns the World Upside Down: The Lord’s Prayer as a Manifesto for Revolution by R. Albert Mohler Jr.</a><br><br> <a target="_blank" rel="sponsored noopener" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'logos'});" href="https://www.logos.com/?utm_campaign=logossubxlaunch-phase1&utm_source=gotquestions&utm_medium=advertising_display&utm_content=logossubxlaunch-phase1-gtlink">More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!</a> </div> <div class="related topics"><h4>Related Articles</h4> <a href="guided-prayer.html">What is guided prayer?</a><br><br> <a href="prayer-answered.html">How can I have my prayers answered by God?</a><br><br> <a href="prayer-prompts.html">What are prayer prompts?</a><br><br> <a href="five-finger-prayer.html">What is the five-finger prayer?</a><br><br> <a href="types-of-prayer.html">What are the different types of prayer?</a> </div> <center><strong class="return">Return to:<br><br> <a class="button-link box-shadow" href="questions_prayer.html">Questions about Prayer</a><br><br> Is the ACTS formula for prayer a good way to pray?</strong></center> </div> </section> <section class="subscribe gradient-to-br" style="--color-start: #153c59; --color-end: #1b537c"> <div class="grid"> <div class="gradient-to-br box-shadow" style="--color-start: #2c6482; --color-end: #64547b"> <h5>Subscribe to the</h5> <h3>Question of the Week</h3> <p>Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox!</p> <iframe src="scommon/qotw.htm" title="question of the week" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%"></iframe> </div></div> </section> </main> <footer-element></footer-element> <center> <div itemprop="dateModified" content="2024-11-21">This page last updated: November 21, 2024</div></center> <script src="scripts-2025.js"></script> <div style="display: none;" itemprop="publisher" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Organization"><meta itemprop="name" content="GotQuestions.org"><div itemprop="logo" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject"> <img src="https://www.gotquestions.org/img/GQlogo.png"><meta itemprop="url" content="https://www.gotquestions.org/img/GQlogo.png"><meta itemprop="width" content="400"><meta itemprop="height" content="79"> </div></div> <div itemprop="video" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/VideoObject"><meta itemprop="embedURL" content="https://youtu.be/z_VNGN8pLKI"><meta itemprop="name" content="Is the ACTS formula for prayer a good way to pray?"><meta itemprop="description" content="Is the ACTS formula for prayer a good way to pray? 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