Cultivative Prayer Guide

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Jesus in John 10:27

The Cultivative Prayer Guide is a weekly guide to help you hear the Lord’s voice in your life. It is intended to focus your attention on his presence, character, and heart in the unique circumstances of your life. It is best used in groups but can be used in your own devotional time as well.

There are 5 parts, or movements, to this prayer guide each with a passage of Scripture to help guide your praying. The five movements to prayer are Focus, Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication (we call it the FACTS method of praying). Praying through these 5 movements will help you grow in hearing God’s voice.

What you need:

Before you begin, take out a Bible, notebook, and pen. As you pray take note of the scriptures that come to mind and jot down thoughts and prayers that you think are important. Part of praying this way is paying attention to the Holy Spirit’s guidance as we pray and these tools will help in the process. We recommend finding a quiet place with limited distractions.

Praying through FACTS

Each section has a purpose behind it and you are encouraged to engage each section as it comes. We recommend planning on 30-60 minutes, keeping in mind the time spent praying may vary depending on the size of your group. Move through the following movements of Prayer:

Focus - The first movement is to focus your attention on God’s presence and your desire to commune with Him. Think of it like dedicating the time to intentionally being with Jesus. Some people may like to light a candle as a symbol of Christ’s love and presence. Read the Bible passage on the sheet to focus your attention on God. Begin to pray in alignment with the Scripture passage. (2-5 Minutes)
Adoration - The second movement is to acknowledge the One to whom you are praying. Pay attention to the Scripture passage and what it says about God and His character. Take time to speak out God’s character and give your admiration for who He is, what He has done, and what He is capable of doing. (5-10 Minutes)
Confession - The third movement is confession. Here we give attention to the ways we have lived out of sync with God’s goodness and instruction. It may be helpful to review the moments from your past day. What people, places, activities, or thoughts come to mind? Take time to confess where your thoughts, words, or deeds were inconsistent with God’s Word and God’s way. (5-10 Minutes)
Thanksgiving - The fourth movement of our prayer is thanksgiving. Again, review the specific moments from your past day and take note of where you saw or felt God’s grace in your life. The provided scripture may also bring a focus to the things you give your thanks to God for. (5-10 Minutes)
Supplication - The fifth and final moment of prayer is to seek God’s guidance for the day(s) in front of us. Supplication isn’t giving God a laundry list of requests, it is bringing our need before the Lord and asking for his provision, whether that be wisdom, divine intercession, strength, or something else. Here, it is helpful to think about the day you are about to enter into or the day that will begin tomorrow. Some people may like to open their agenda and pray through the activities that lie ahead. Ask the Lord to help you see what he sees in the day ahead and provide the grace you need to be his ambassador in those moments. In a group, you may find that spend your entire time praying for one person’s needs in the group. Pay attention to what you think Jesus might be saying about that need and be sure to discuss together when you have finished praying. (5-10 Minutes)