How to Start a Prayer Life

They ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Luke 18:1

Martin Luther once said, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Many of us couldn’t fit this mindset into our busy lives even though we know we need to pray more so that we would complain less, worry less, stress less, etc. Many times it’s the simplest of routines that can start a prayer journey of a lifetime. Using the acronym A-C-T-S can be a great start to an effective and powerful prayer life:

A – Adoration (Psalm 34:3)
Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!
We begin our prayer time with simply magnifying God for Who He is. We don’t request anything from Him at this time—we simply restate what we know about God from His word. We know that He is above all things (Ephesians 4:10). We know that He makes all things work together for our good (Romans 8:28). We know that He is the Giver of all good gifts (James 1:17).

C- Confession (1 John 1:9)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
After we’ve spent time adoring God for who He is, we recognize that we fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23). We take the time to reflect over things we have said or done that has grieved the Holy Spirit. We also ask the Lord to bring to our memory anything we should’ve done but refused to do. It’s a time of getting things right with God and deciding to turn away from evil.

T- Thanksgiving (Psalm 9:1)
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
This is a time to remember and give thanks to God for all the things He has done for us. We reflect over our blessings in appreciation for the hand of the Lord over our lives. We also give thanks for the hard things in our lives which have drawn us closer to Him in prayer. Even in the darkest hours of our lives, there is something we can be thankful for in Christ.

S- Supplication (Matthew 7:7)
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
We are encouraged to pray with the expectation that God hears and answers our prayers. We want God’s will in our prayers over our own personal desires. We can know God’s will as we continue to read and study His word. The Holy Spirit will draw us to pray what is in line with His will as well.