Praying Through Scripture
Discover the Treasure
Our prayers should include four elements. To help you remember these elements, remember the word ACTS.
- Adoration: Praise God for who He is.
- Confession: Admit your sin to God.
- Thanksgiving: Thank God for His character and blessings.
- Supplication: Tell God your concerns and requests.
You can incorporate all of these in your plan for praying through Scripture. Select a passage that is meaningful to you or goes along with the topic in your devotions for the day.
Follow these steps:
1. Read the passage.
2. Write your answer to these questions: What promise or command is in this verse? What lesson do I need to learn?
3. Write down what you want to say to God as a result of what you discovered. Make sure that you have something for each prayer action (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication). Your response can be either Scripture that you say back to God or expressions of your own heart.
4. Pray what you've written.
Example: If you selected Romans 8:26-30, you might answer the questions this way:
What promise is in these verses? The Holy Spirit will help me pray.
What command must I obey? I must love God.
What lesson do I need to learn? God causes everything in my life to work out for my good.
Your prayer: God, You are so wonderful. You are so personally involved in my life that You see my prayers and help me pray when my heart is heavy. I am sorry that I haven't taken more time to talk to You in the past twenty-four hours. I thank You that You are patient with me and will still work in my life for my good even though I fail You at times. Please help me to bring all my problems and joys to You. In Jesus' name, amen.
The following are scripture passages provide a beginning place as you pray through scripture.
- Psalm 91:9-13
- Psalm 141:1-4
- Proverbs 2:1-5
- Matthew 6:25-27
- Galatians 5:16-18
- Philippians 4:8-9