20 Minutes in Effective Prayer

Nothing can enhance the Christian experience more than study of the Bible and an active prayer life.

Use that acronym ACTS to help you to remember to tell God of your adoration for Him, to confess your sins to Him and ". . .in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 5:6 KJV.

Below you will find a more detailed explanation of each aspect of the ACTS template for effective daily prayer.

ADORATION is proclaiming and exalting God's name attributes, and character. "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD." Ps. 150:6 (NIV)

Names, attributes and character of God the Father:
Abba Father —Rom.8:15	Lord —Gen. 15:2
Almighty —Gen.35:11	Most High —Gen 14:18-22
Great —Ps. 95:3	Peace —Jdg. 6:24
Healer —Exo. 15:26	Provider —Gen. 22:14
I Am that I Am —Exo.3:4	Sanctifier —Lev.20:8
Names, attributes and character of God the Son:
Advocate —1Jn. 2:1	Lord of Lords —Rev. 17:14
Bread of Life —Jn. 6:35	Mediator —Tim. 2:5
King of Kings —Rev. 19:6	Resurrection —Jn.11:25
Lamb of God —Jn.1:29	Savior —Lk.1:47
Light —Jn.1:9	Truth —Jn.14:6
Names, attributes, and character of God the Spirit:
Baptizer —1Cor. 12:13	Intercessor —Rom. 8:26
Comforter —Jn. 14:16	Living Water —Jn. 7:39
Filler —Eph. 5:18	Renewer —Tit. 3:5
Fruit Bearer —Eph. 5:9	Revealer —1Cor. 2: 10
Gifter —1Cor. 12:11	Sealer —2Cor. 1:22
General attributes and character of God:
Faithful —Deut. 7:9	Majestic —Is. 2:10
Forgiving —Dan. 9:9	Miraculous —Num. 14:22
Good —Ps. 119:68	Merciful —Num. 14:22
Gracious —Ex. 34:6	Omnipotent —Dan. 4:35
Holy —Lev. 11:44	Omniscient —Is. 46:9-10
Infinite —Rom. 11:33	Omnipresent —Ps. 139:9-10
Impartial —Rom. 2:11	Sovereign —Ps. 115:3
Just —Is. 45:21	Singular —Deut. 6:4
Loving —1Jn. 4:8	Unchanging —Heb. 13:8

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CONFESSION is agreeing with and acknowledging your failures to meet and comply with God's standard of perfection. "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy." Prv. 28:13 (NIV)

Things you may need to confess because of::

Omission "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." Jas. 4:17 (NIV)

Lack of bearing other's burdens	Gal 6:2
Lack of caring for others	Jas. 1 :27
Lack of giving for others	Mal.3: 8
Lack of showing gratitude	Rom. 1:21
Lack of loving others	1Cor. 13:1-3
Lack of mercy toward others	Mt. 23:23
Lack of praying	1Sam. 12:23
Lack of serving others	Gal. 5:13
Lack of sharing with others	Prv. 3:28
Lack of studying God's Word	2Tim. 2:15
Lack of trusting God	Rom. 14:23
Lack of witnessing for God	Ezk. 3:18

Commission "All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death." 1Jn. 5:17 (NIV)

Adultery	Cruelty	Hate	Lying
Anger	Drunkenness	Idolatry	Pride
Bigotry	Gluttony	Immorality	Stealing
Bitterness	Witchcraft	Jealousy	Gossip
Blasphemy	Greed	Lust	Worry
Mt. 5:21-32, Rom. 1:29-30, 1Cor. 7:9-10, Gal. 6: 19-21

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THANKSGIVING is recognizing and recounting God' s gracious acts and influences both in and around your life. "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever." Ps. 136:1 (NIV)

Things you may want to thank God for:

Physical:

Food	Home	Hobbies	Emotions
Clothing	Family	Books	Scenery
Health	Friends	Pets	Talents
Protection	Senses	Your Mind	Cars
Job	Recreation	Your Will	Etc.

Spiritual:

Fellow Christians	1Ths. 1:2
His full joy	Jn. 15:11
His lasting peace	Jn. 14:27
His inner power	Eph. 1:19
His comforting Word	Rom. 15:4
His indwelling Spirit	2Cor. 5:5
His perfect love	1Jn. 4:7
His free salvation	Tit 2:11
Your security in Christ	Php. 1:6
Your spiritual leaders	Eph. 4:11
Victory over death	1Cor. 15:57
Victory in life	2Cor. 2:14
Your effectiveness in witnessing	2Cor. 2:4
Those you convert to Christ	2Ths. 2:13

"For what makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" 1Cor. 4:7 (NIV)

Thank God for everything!!! "...always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Eph 5:20 (NIV)

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SUPPLICATION is God's people invoking God's power to accomplish God's purpose. "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." Jn. 16:24 (NIV)

Some examples from scripture that you can pray for yourself and other Christians:

Be secure in their faith	Lk. 22:32
Protection from Satan	Jn. 17:15
Separation for God's exclusive use	Jn. 17:20
Spiritual wisdom and knowledge	Eph. 1:17
To experience God's power	Eph. 1:18
To comprehend God's love for them	Eph. 3:18
Be filled with God's fullness	Eph. 3:19
Boldness in sharing the gospel	Eph. 6:20
Be sincere in their faith	Php. 1:9
To know God's will	Col. 1:9
To walk worthy of the Lord	Col. 1:10
To be fruitful in good works	Col. 1:11
To strengthen their spirits	Col. 1:11
To have patience	Col. 1:11
Give them longsuffering	Col. 1:11
Give them joy	Col. 1:11
To have an opportunity to share Christ	Col. 4:3
To have inner peace	2Ths. 3:16

You can confidently ask for anything God's Word says a Christian should be!

Things you can pray for non-Christians:

God will bring them to Christ	Jn. 6:44
God will grant them repentance	2Tim. 2:25
God will open their eyes to the gospel	2Cor. 4:4
God will convict them of sin	Jn. 16:8
That the preaching of the cross would be effective	1Cor. 1:18
They would remember the gospel	1Cor. 15:1-4
They would be reconciled to God	2Cor. 5:19
They would come to know the truth	1Tim. 2:3-4
They would confess Christ as their Lord	Rom. 10:9
They would believe on the name of Christ	Jn 1:12

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PREREQUISITES TO EFFECTIVE PRAYER

Effective prayer is the kind that gets the desired effect. " . . .The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Jas. 5:16 (KJV)

For example:
Adoration—to bring pleasure to God
Confession—to bring you into fellowship with God
Thanksgiving—to bring you an attitude of gratitude
Supplication—to bring about God’s purpose

Effective prayer is both a privilege and a responsibility that God has granted to those who meet the following conditions:

1. The person must be in a right relationship with Christ. "Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jn. 14:6 (NIV)

2. The person must be in right relationship with their actions. "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." 1Pet. 3:12 (NIV) "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened..." Psalm 66:18 (NIV)

3. The person must be in a right relationship with others. "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." Mt.5:23-24 (NIV) "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." Lk. 11:25 (NlV)

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PREREQUISITES TO EFFECTIVE SUPPLICATION

"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it." Jn 4:13-14 (KJV)

In order to get your desired request you must pray:

Humbly—"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even lookup to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner. ' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For every-one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Lk. 18:13-14 (NIV)

Specifically—"You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God." Jas.4:2 (NIV)

Unselfishly—"When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." Jas. 4:3 (NIV)

Meaningfully—"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." Mt. 6:7 (NIV)

Scripturally—"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us whatever we ask we know that we have what we asked of him." l Jn 5:14-15 (NIV)

Confidently—"Therefore I tell you, what-ever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mk.11:24 (NIV)

Persistently—"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Lk. 11:9 (NIV)

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SAMPLE PRAYER

The Lord's Prayer—"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen" Mt. 6:9-13 (KJV)

Adoration—Holy Father, You are the only one and true God. Nothing and no one compares with Your greatness and perfection. You and You alone are worthy of my highest and best praise. Your Word tells me in Isaiah 40:15 that the nations are but a drop in the bucket compared to You. I praise You for Your greatness.

Confession—You tell me in Psalm 66:18 if I regard iniquity in my heart You will not hear me. I confess my lack of trusting You to provide for my every need. I confess my jealousy of other people's money and I admit my need for You to control that area of my life.

Thanksgiving—I thank You for my physical provisions of food health, and my friends. You tell me in Romans 8:39 that nothing can separate me from our love. I thank You for the security I have in Christ.

Supplication—In Proverbs 3:5 Your Word tells me I need to trust in You with all of my heart. I ask that You change my heart to trust in You more. In 1 Peter 2:2 You tell me to desire Your Word like a baby desires milk. I ask that You make me hungry for Your Word so I can spend more time in it. I ask that You give me a greater sense of my need to be in prayer with You more often. I ask You to show me how I can be a better steward of my spiritual gifts and finances so I can better serve You.

Amen

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