ACTS is a simple pattern for prayer: Adoration (praising God for who he is), Confession (admitting your sins and receiving his forgiveness), Thanksgiving (thanking him for what he has done) and Supplication (asking for what you and others need). It keeps prayer from being only a list of requests, and it works in two minutes or twenty.
Even the disciples asked Jesus how to pray: "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples" (Luke 11:1, KJV). ACTS isn't in the Bible as a formula, but each of its four parts is, and together they follow the shape of the Lord's Prayer. ACTS also fits neatly into the morning prayer in Prayer Latch, a prayer lock app that keeps your chosen apps closed until you've prayed. Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, which is in the public domain.
What does ACTS stand for?
| Letter | Step | You're saying |
|---|---|---|
| A | Adoration | "God, you are…" |
| C | Confession | "I'm sorry for…" |
| T | Thanksgiving | "Thank you for…" |
| S | Supplication | "Please help…" |
How do I pray the A: Adoration?
Start with who God is, before what you need. Name one of his qualities and praise him for it: his faithfulness, his power, his mercy, his nearness.
"O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker." Psalm 95:6
Example: Lord, you are faithful. You've never once let go of me, and you made everything I'll see today. You are worthy of all my praise.
How do I pray the C: Confession?
Tell God honestly where you've gone wrong, without excuses, and receive his forgiveness. Confession clears the air between you and God. It isn't about earning anything: he has already promised to forgive.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
Example: Father, I spoke sharply to my family yesterday, and I gave my phone the time I promised you. I'm sorry. Thank you that you forgive me. Create in me a clean heart.
How do I pray the T: Thanksgiving?
Thank God for specific things he has done. Adoration praises who God is; thanksgiving remembers what he has given. Be concrete: a good night's sleep, a friend's text, an answered prayer.
"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." Psalm 100:4
Example: Thank you for this morning, for coffee and quiet, for my friend who checked in on me, and for the way you answered last week's prayer about work.
How do I pray the S: Supplication?
Now bring your requests, for yourself and for others. Supplication means asking humbly. Pray for your own needs, for people by name, and for your church and the world.
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6
Example: Please give me patience with my kids today and focus at work. Be with Sarah in the hospital. Help our pastor as he preaches on Sunday. Amen.
Prayer Latch tip: When Prayer Latch asks you to pray, choose to pray in your own words and set the 3-minute timer. Give each ACTS step a little under a minute, then hold to say Amen.
How long does an ACTS prayer take?
As long as you have. A one-sentence ACTS prayer takes less than a minute; a slow one can fill half an hour. Many people spend a minute on each step in the morning, then add to the supplication as the day goes on. See how long should a Christian pray?
Is the ACTS method biblical?
The acronym is modern, but each part is all over Scripture. Paul lists a similar set: "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men" (1 Timothy 2:1, KJV). The Lord's Prayer also begins with God ("Hallowed be thy name") before moving to our needs ("Give us this day our daily bread") and forgiveness (Matthew 6:9–13).
What are other ways to structure prayer?
- The Lord's Prayer: pray it slowly, a line at a time, adding your own words to each line.
- PRAY: Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield. It's a variation on ACTS that ends by giving your plans to God.
- Praying a psalm: read a psalm and turn each verse into your own prayer.
- A prayer list: names and needs written down, prayed through each day.
How can I make ACTS a daily habit?
Tie it to something you already do every morning, like reaching for your phone. Prayer Latch locks the apps you choose each morning until you pray. Inside the app you can pray a guided prayer or use your own words with a quiet timer, which is a good fit for walking through the four ACTS steps, before holding to say Amen and opening your apps.
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Updated October 27, 2026 by the Prayer Latch team at Janus Works LLC.