Ever feel like your prayers are all over the place or lacking focus? You’re not alone! Sometimes, it can be hard to know where to start or what to say. That’s where the ACTS+ prayer model comes in. It’s an easy and powerful way to structure your prayers, helping you praise God, confess, give thanks, and ask for what you need—all in one focused flow.
So, what is ACTS+? Let’s break it down and see how it can transform your prayer life.
What Is ACTS+?
ACTS+ is a slightly upgraded version of the classic ACTS model of prayer. While ACTS stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication, ACTS+ takes things a little further. It gives you more specific ways to approach each part of the prayer, making sure you’re covering all the important areas. Here’s how it works:
A (Adoration): GLORIFY
We start with adoration—praising God for who He is. In ACTS+, we get even more detailed with the acronym GLORIFY, which helps us focus on God’s many amazing qualities:
- G (Greatness): Talk about how great God is and all the incredible things He’s done.
- L (Love): Thank Him for His never-ending love that’s with us no matter what.
- O (Omnipotence): Praise God for His power and how nothing is too hard for Him.
- R (Righteousness): Acknowledge God’s fairness and perfect justice in everything He does.
- I (Immutability): Reflect on how God never changes—He’s always the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
- F (Faithfulness): Rejoice in God’s faithfulness. He’s always there for us, keeping His promises.
- Y (Yield): Surrender to God’s wisdom and greatness, trusting His plan for your life.
Starting your prayer by focusing on God’s greatness and qualities helps set a tone of reverence and respect, making your prayer feel more connected.
C (Confession): SORRY
Next, we move to confession—acknowledging where we’ve fallen short. Let’s be real, we all mess up! The SORRY acronym guides us through this:
- S (Sin): Admit the things you’ve done wrong. Be honest with God.
- O (Offenses): Get specific about actions or thoughts that haven’t aligned with God’s will.
- R (Repentance): Express your desire to change and turn away from those mistakes.
- R (Request Forgiveness): Ask God to forgive you, knowing He is full of mercy.
- Y (Yearn for Change): Pray for God to help you grow and become a better version of yourself.
Confession clears the way for God’s forgiveness and helps us move forward with a clean heart.
T (Thanksgiving): GRATEFUL
Now it’s time to show some gratitude! The GRATEFUL acronym helps us remember all the ways we can thank God for His goodness:
- G (Grace): Thank God for His grace—He gives us way more than we deserve!
- R (Relationships): Be thankful for the people in your life—family, friends, and loved ones.
- A (Answers): Acknowledge the prayers God has already answered, even the unexpected ones.
- T (Time): Thank God for both the good times and the hard times that have shaped you.
- E (Everything): Be grateful for all of life’s blessings, big and small.
- F (Faithfulness): Thank God for always being faithful, no matter what.
- U (Unconditional Love): God’s love never has conditions—it’s always there. Thank Him for that.
- L (Life): Life itself is a gift. Take a moment to thank God for the opportunity to live, grow, and experience everything He gives you.
Gratitude shifts our perspective and helps us see all the ways God is working in our lives, even in the little things.
S (Supplication): HELP
Finally, we come to supplication—asking for what we need. The HELP acronym makes it easy to remember different types of requests:
- H (Healing): Ask God for healing—whether it’s physical, emotional, or spiritual.
- E (Encouragement): Pray for strength and encouragement to get through tough times.
- L (Leadership): Ask for God’s guidance and wisdom in your decisions and daily life.
- P (Provision): Bring your needs to God, whether it’s work, health, family, or anything else.
This is the part where you get to lay everything at God’s feet, trusting Him to provide and guide you.
Detailed ACTS+ Prayer Example
Here’s a detailed example of how you can use the ACTS+ model in your own prayer, with notes showing where each part of GLORIFY, SORRY, GRATEFUL, and HELP is used:
Adoration (GLORIFY)
“Lord, I come before You in awe of Your greatness. (G – Greatness) You are the Creator of all things, and Your power is beyond what I can comprehend. (O – Omnipotence) Your love, Lord, is unending; You care for each one of us in ways we can’t even begin to imagine. (L – Love) I praise You for being all-powerful, omnipotent, and always in control. (O – Omnipotence) Your righteousness is perfect—everything You do is just and good, even when I don’t understand it. (R – Righteousness) Thank You for never changing. You are the same yesterday, today, and forever, and I can trust in Your promises. (I – Immutability) You are faithful, Lord, always keeping Your word and never abandoning Your children. (F – Faithfulness) Today, I yield my life and my heart to Your wisdom. (Y – Yield) I trust that Your plan is better than anything I could ever come up with.”
Confession (SORRY)
“Lord, I come before You with a humble heart, knowing that I have fallen short in so many ways. I confess my sins, my pride, my impatience, and my selfishness. (S – Sin) I admit that I’ve held grudges and acted in ways that don’t reflect Your love. (O – Offenses) There are times when I’ve doubted You, letting fear control me instead of trusting Your plan. I repent of these actions and thoughts. (R – Repentance) I am deeply sorry for allowing these sins to come between us. Please, Lord, forgive me. (R – Request Forgiveness) I need Your mercy and grace to cover my shortcomings. I ask for Your forgiveness and for the strength to walk in a new direction. Help me, Lord, to yearn for change. (Y – Yearn for Change) Guide me in becoming more like You, and give me the wisdom and courage to leave these wrongdoings behind.”
Thanksgiving (GRATEFUL)
“Lord, my heart is full of gratitude today. I thank You for Your grace, which is far greater than I deserve. (G – Grace) You have blessed me in ways I often overlook. I’m grateful for the relationships You’ve placed in my life—for my family, my friends, and the people who support and encourage me. (R – Relationships) Thank You for answering my prayers, even when the answers aren’t what I expected. (A – Answers) Your timing and Your answers are always perfect. I am thankful for both the good times and the challenges, for I know that through them, I grow and learn to trust You more. (T – Time) Thank You for the countless blessings, big and small, that You pour out on me each day. (E – Everything) Thank You for always being faithful, for standing by me through every trial. (F – Faithfulness) And most of all, thank You for the love that never changes, no matter what I go through. (U – Unconditional Love) Your love is the greatest gift of all. And most of all, thank You for the gift of life itself—the chance to wake up each day and seek to do Your will. (L – Life)”
Supplication (HELP)
“Lord, now I come to You with my needs, trusting that You hear me. First, I ask for healing. (H – Healing) There are areas in my heart, mind, and body that need Your touch, Lord. I ask for physical healing for those around me who are sick, and for emotional healing for those who are hurting. Please, bring peace and restoration where it is needed. I ask for Your encouragement and strength in the face of the challenges I’m dealing with. (E – Encouragement) Sometimes, life feels overwhelming, and I need Your support to keep going. Help me to stay strong in my faith and to keep moving forward, even when the path is tough. I also ask for leadership and guidance, Lord. (L – Leadership) Help me to make wise decisions in my life—whether it’s in my relationships, my work, or my personal growth. I need Your wisdom to navigate these choices. And finally, Lord, I pray for provision. (P – Provision) You know my needs, both material and spiritual. I trust that You will provide for me and for my family, giving us what
we need to thrive and to serve You. Thank You for hearing my prayers.”
Closing
“In Your hands, I place all my hopes, fears, and needs. I trust in Your love and Your plan for my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.”
Final Thoughts
Using the ACTS+ prayer model is like having a roadmap for your conversations with God. It gives you a balanced approach, making sure you’re covering all the important areas. Whether you’re praising God for His greatness, confessing where you’ve fallen short, giving thanks, or asking for help, ACTS+ can make your prayers feel more intentional and connected.
So why not give it a try? Start using the ACTS+ model in your prayers today, and see how it transforms your relationship with God.