It’s not much of a relationship when there isn' t much interaction between the two.
But with so many ways to communicate in today’s world (phone calls, text messag ing , facebook, emails, skype, the letter tied to the doves leg ) we can be in constant contact with each other.
Did you know that the Lord desires us to be in contact with him?
He loves to hear our voice.
Psalm 116:1-2
"I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!"
So before you start thinking prayer is a difficult task and you don’t know what to say, just think of it as a friendship. God desires to hear our every thoug ht, our heart’s desires, our fears, our troubles, and our joys. Just take the time and talk with Him. It will streng then your relationship with Him.
Here’s a model that will help you pray. It’s not the “only” way to pray but it will help g uide you if you strug g le with what to pray about. Christ also g ave us a model prayer in Matthew 6:9-13, g o check it out.
A.C.T.S.
ADORATION / CONFESSION / THANKSGIVING / SUPPLICATION
Step 1
ADORATION: Begin the prayer by adoring God. Praise and worship HIM. This is a time for telling God what He means to you and how much you love Him. This is not the same as Thanksgiving where you thank God for all He has done, but a time to tell God how magnificent/holy/glorious He is, to focus solely on Him, to tell Him all the wondrous beautiful things about Him you love. King David was a great worshipper of god and a man God Himself stated was after His own heart, read Psalms for great examples of adoration.
Psalm 8:1 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!Your glory is higher than the heavens.
Heb Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.
Step 2
CONFESSION: This is when we confess our all our sins to God. Unconfessed sin creates a barrier between you and God and can hinder your prayers. Begin by confessing your sin to Him with an apologetic and repentant heart (to repent is to stop and turn 180 degrees from). Ask God to bring to mind any sins you may not be aware of so that you may repent and confess.
I John 1:8-9 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness..
Important: Nothing can separate you from the love of God. But we can separate ourselves from the love of God just as Adam and Eve ran and hid from the Presence of God after their sin in the Garden-Notice God called after them, He did not wait for them to come to Him
Step 3
THANKSGIVING: This is where we count our blessings, thanking and praising God for all He has given us and done for us in life. You may begin with the basics such as family, friends, food, shelter, safety, jobs, health, healing. Thank Him for hearing your prayers and for forgiving your sins, for His all-consuming love for you. Thank Him for His promises, for the glory of His handiwork, for His promises to you (if you don't know them, start looking them up). Follow Paul's advice,
Ephesians And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Step 4
SUPPLICATION: This is the phase of prayer where we come to the Father asking God to supply needs for ourselves and others. Be specific in your prayers. For example, instead of asking for God to bless your friend, ask Him to help your friend by making His presence know in their life and that they may trust in Him.
If you feel led to pray for a certain person but don't know exactly what that person needs, ask God to lead you in prayer. He will.
Step 5
Remember, prayer is communication with God. It is about relationship with the Father. Also don't forget that communication is a two way street, that means you have to listen as well. You may not hear at first but with practice you begin to feel God speaking to your heart.
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