I first came across the ACTS model for prayer many years ago. It has been a pleasure to read this book, which I recommend to everyone who has a real desire to pray. It is scriptural, practical and readable, and within the grasp of new Christians as well as old!
The author starts with ‘The God who invites us to pray’. He reminds us that ‘God is central to prayer, and all genuine prayer is centred on God’. How encouraging to read. ‘In prayer, God does not need great or even good people … The reason why Christians pray is because we have a great and a good God, and because we understand our human need and frailty.’
The acrostic ACTS starts with A for adoration. Using Hezekiah’s prayer in 2 Kings 19, the author shows us what it means to hallow God’s name.
C is for confession. Using the everyday illustration of a trash-can, we are shown that confession ‘is absolutely pivotal to any hope of effective prayer and of living a life of prayer’. We see here the blessings of the work of the Lord Jesus as our high priest, and our forgiving God.
T is for thanksgiving — every day. Thanksgiving is examined in the prayers of Jeremiah and Daniel.
S for supplication means praying for God’s will. It ‘is rooted in the soil of God’s Word’.
God is set forth in his grace and power. So let us go ahead and pray.
