stated that beginning with adoration is essential because it sets the
tone for everything that is to come. Adoration is a time to worship
God for his attributes, his holiness, his character, and his personality.
Cstands for confession.Hybels suggested that confession is one of
the most neglected areas in personal prayer. All too often we clump
our sins into one big stack of dirty laundry and label them “all my
many sins.” What a cop-out! We must get particular with God about
each sin, not only asking him to forgive us but also asking him for
the strength to turn away from them.
Tstands for thanksgiving.Hybels recommended thanking God
specifically for answered prayer, spiritual blessings, relational bless-
ings, and material blessings.
And finally Sstands for supplicationsor requests. “If you have
adored him, confessed your sin, and thanked him for all his good
gifts, you’re ready to tell him what you need,” wrote Hybels.^2 God
cares about our every need and desire, large and small, and he wants
to answer our requests.
Hybels concluded this teaching by recommending that we write
out our prayers using the ACTS pattern. By dividing a piece of paper
into four sections and labeling each section with one of the letters,
we can see the particulars of our adoration, confession, thanksgiv-
ing, and supplication as we lay them before our Father in prayer.
Father, we thank you for the gift of prayer. Teach us how to go deeper
and reach higher as we come to you each day. In Jesus’ name, amen.101 MOST POWERFUL PRAYERS IN THE BI BLE 21