6 Prayer Models to Spice Up Your Prayer Time PLUS a Free Printable

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We all get in a rut sometimes and our prayer life is no different. Set on auto pilot we spew out a standard prayer and if you’re anything like me sometimes it gets to be like I’m talking to a genie in a bottle. Throwing out requests and wishes like pennies down a wishing well. Friends, that’s no good. God desires and deserves more. Today I have six ways you can model your pray in a manner pleasing to God that will spice up this special time we have the privilege of spending with the Lord in prayer.

God models prayer for us in the Bible…it’s such a handy book, giving us everything we could ever need. Telling us what God loves to hear is just one way we can use the information the Bible shares to draw us into a closer, more intimate relationship with our Savior. The most famous example of prayer is found in Matthew 6:9, known as The Lord’s Prayer. Verse 9 goes to say “This, then, is how you should pray:” It literally tells us what to do! You might want to take some time to pour over this prayer that most all of us know, but often repeat without true intentionality and understanding. ***Please note, I have been a crazy sick, medicated lady this week and I misspelled yield in the printable, it has been fixed on the download version, but the photos are not updated, I’m too cross-eyed to tackle that yet! Thanks for the grace friends!***

The 6 prayer models I am sharing today hit on all the points mentioned in the Lord’s prayer. Four of the models listed are prayer acronyms to help guide your prayer time and jog your memory, two are five finger prayers to help outline your prayer time. We all remember differently, so I am hopeful at least one of these will stick with you! I have created a free printable for you to keep handy until you land on a method that works for you.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE PRINTABLE HERE

ACTS Prayer Acronym

ACTS is the prayer model I use the most. When I first learned of this method through a bible study class it was a massive game changer in my prayer life. It was hard for me to stop and think about Adoring and praising God for who He is and the characteristics He was busy revealing to me. Wishing well mode is very self serving and looks inward not upward. Then Confession. Wow, that’s never easy, but can truly bear the most fruit of prayer. Even Thanksgiving can be hard when you are in a rough patch and don’t feel like you have a ton to be thankful for. (here is a tip for that) Supplication is the time to bring in others, get outside of yourself and your problems and carry the burden of those you share life with. Then ask for yourself. This model, as well as the ones to follow, will help get your heart aligned in the proper posture to pray to the Lord.

HEART Prayer Acronym

Start by Honoring God with praise. Who is He? What does He do? How do you see or feel Him? Examine your life, confess the secrets, the burdens and the transgressions you carry. Laying these at the cross will lift a weight you can’t even imagine. Ask for help. Seek help in regard to the confessions you made or just the daily needs in your life. Nothing is to big or to small, God wants it all. Request for others. One of the biggest blessings we can bestow on another human is prayer. Thank God. Thank Him for the things he has done and if your faith is firm go ahead and thank him in advance for the things he will do.

PRAY Prayer Acronym

The pattern is repeating…this prayer also starts with Praising God. Yes, he wants to hear praise, but saying out loud who God is reveals His power in a fresh and encouraging way, it renews  and affirms our faith. Repent – are you seeing a pattern? God wants us to come to him with a clean heart. We have to take care of ourselves before we are able to adequately move forward in prayer and relationship. This is often the most overlooked aspect of prayer and it’s truly one of the most beneficial portions we can partake in. It’s never fun to look in dark corners and the clean out work is often tough, but friends, please trust me when I say…it’s so worth it. Ask – This is the portion of prayer where you bring your requests to the Lord and ask for the things you desire. He is so faithful! He wants to hear all your requests, big and small, so hold nothing back.  The last letter stands for Yield and I really love this word. It means slow down, listen, be still and know (Psalm 46:10). Prayer is a two way conversation and if we are always talking, never pausing in the prayer we will never hear the sweet truths God has for us. The answers, the forgiveness and the blessings he longs to pour on us. So yield and listen.

PAST Prayer Acronym

Once again, start with Praise for God. Moving into Acknowledging the good he does in your life and the areas you need to confess and reveal. Acknowledging sin is a bold way to say, “I see it God” and acknowledging is the first step in healing. Oh how he wants to heal us. Supplication – once more presenting requests to God on behalf of others and yourself. When you tell someone you will pray for them do it! Close with Thanksgiving however you feel lead. Thanksgiving for who God is, what he has done, what he will do, anything that pops in your head. There is no right or wrong “Christianese” lingo you have to use, just talk to God like you would a trusted girlfriend.

5 Finger Prayers

If you are a visual person these prayer models might be an excellent way to walk you through prayer and they are great for kids.

Starting with your thumb, the finger closest to you start praying for your friends and family – those closest to you! Your index finger represents teachers, or the outer circle of people you come into contact with. Those you look to or go to on a regular basis. The highest finger, your middle finger is for the leaders. Government, local, national and world. There is a lot to be in prayer for on this level! Your weakest finger is a reminder to pray for those that are sick, weak, poor and in need. The last and littlest pinky finger is you. I love this model because it causes us to really look around in our day and life to see all the people we have the privilege of praying for. What a tremendous blessing we can give! Who doesn’t want and need extra prayer?

The last 5 finger prayer reminds you of the five key ingredients to a prayer that covers all the basis. Praise God, Clean your heart, give proper thanksgiving, intercede on behalf of others and petition requests for yourself.

EXTRA PRAYER TIPS

Most of all do this EVERY DAY, first thing in the morning if possible. Pray that God will wake you up early with a heart that desires to spend time with Him and He will do it! Mark 1:35

Pray in the moment. If someone needs prayer, be bold and ask if you can pray for them right then and there. There doesn’t have to be a magical set aside time to pray. Ephesians 3:12

We all carry smart phones, set a timer for your firend’s important appointment that needs to be prayed over, set reminders for important dates and tasks you want to pray for. Genesis 25:21

Pray for your enemy. Maybe you don’t have an “enemy” but we all have people that are difficult to deal with, we are angry with or just don’t care for. The best way to change our heart and follow God’s instruction is to pray for that person. It will change your heart in ways you never knew possible. Matthew 5:44

Pray with friends. If you have never prayed out loud in conversational prayer with others can I please encourage you to try it!? I have never had anything grow my faith walk faster and stronger than group prayer. It is amazing. Yes, it can feel very awkward at first, but it is miraculous. Be bold! Matthew 18:19-20

Ask for prayer. Admit to those around you when you need help. Let others bring prayer to God when you are unable to on your own behalf. I love being able to pray for others, you can always e-mail me and I will be glad to lift you in prayer! Matthew 20-28

It is my prayer that these tips and outlines will help you change up your prayer time to be more intentional and focused, to draw you closer to our God who wants to know you and wants you to know him. If you have a favorite prayer model I didn’t mention, will you please share it so I can add it to the list or try it out myself? Thanks!

Please share with others if you feel lead! Also – if you want a more organized, written way to record prayer check out my friend’s etsy shop, she has the cutest prayer journals! Don’t forget to download your free printable and join my free e-mail list to receive your set of printable Bible memory verse cards! Blessings to you today and always, Kim