Five Finger Praying

Posted by on Jun 28, 2017 in Godprints | 0 comments

How do you pray???
Do you use words?  Do you just think of images knowing that God knows the rest?

What do you say?
Do you ask for stuff? Do you just confess and ask for forgiveness?  Do you vent your frustrations???

Ever since the beginning of human existence- even after Jesus introduced His model prayer- people struggle with figuring out how to pray.  Maybe you use the “A. C. T. S. ” Model:

A– Adoration

C– Confession

T– Thanksgiving

S– Supplication

 

 

The Five Fingered Prayer

A recent article in Our Daily Bread described another method of praying.  It called it “Five-Fingered Prayers.” You can view the entire article on the ODB Website.

 

When you fold your hands to pray, the thumb is closest to you… 

Begin by praying for those closest to you: Family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.

 

Philippians 1:3-6

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.  Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy,  for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.

The index finger is the pointer…

Pray for those who teach: Pastors, Sunday School Teachers, and Small Group Leaders.

1 Thessalonians 5:25

Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us. (Paul)

The Middle finger is the tallest…

Pray for those over you; those in authority: Supervisors at work, National and Local Politicians.

1 Timothy 2:1-2

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.  Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

The Ring finger is usually the weakest.

Pray for those who are going through a rough time or are suffering.

James 5:13-16

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.  Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.  Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

The pinky is the smallest; remember your smallness in comparison to God’s greatness.

Ask God to strengthen you and to support your needs.

Philippians 4:6 & 19

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

 

 

Reminders, Not Specifications

Tools like  “A.C.T.S” or “Five Fingered Prayers” are simply reminders to help you remember what to pray for.  There’s no set way to pray.  The only requirement is that you fully open yourself up to God; tell Him what’s on your mind and allow Him to change you in order to fulfill His answer.

 

+     +     +     +     +     +     +

To read more posts about prayer, click this button:  Prayer  

 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *