What does the Bible say about repeating prayer?

our faith is dependent on the frequency of our request. read Luke 11:13. if we want something bad enough we will continue to ask for it. it doesn't bother God the amount. He wants to see our faith in action and how we handle things. our prayer may not be answered quickly or the way we expect it. but if we ask for something in harmony with His purpose it will be given us. we don't say the same prayer by rote but pray with sincerity, honesty and genuineness.

I'm sure we all know the Lord's prayer. Many even say it each morning and/or each night. However, many overlook Jesus' advice about prayer right before he gave that model. t Matthew 6:5-7, Jesus is very specific in what not to do. Verse 7 says, we must NOT repeat the same prayer over and over again. That does not mean we cannot ask for the same things, because Matthew 7:7 says to keep on knocking and you will find. So, repetitious prayers do not please God.

Let us use for example our personal sentiments with regards someone we would call a clos friend. Suppose they would seldom speak to you, and when they did they only begged for their needs... Then each time they came to you, they literally said the SAME thing over and over again. How would you feel? You would feel used, and as though the person didn't really care for you. Would you not? Imagine how God feels when people only approach him in prayer to beg him for things and never pray for his will to be done, and doesn't know what the will is... Imagine how he feels hearing the same thing from that person each petition? We must not forget that we are created in his image, and God created us with feelings, emotions...Therefore he has them too. If we would feel a certain way when a friend does that to us, can you imagine how much more so God feels?

God wants us to ask him for things, but he doesn't want to be forgotten that we don't ask for his purpose to be accomplished. Jesus taught us to pray for his will to be done on Earth, he taught us to pray for the Sanctification of God's name... Are we working towards those things? Are we praying for them to be done?

Daniel 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

Matt. 6:7 - Jesus teaches, "do not heap up empty phrases" in prayer. Protestants use this verse to criticize various Catholic forms of prayer which repeat phrases, such as litanies and the Rosary. But Jesus' focus in this instruction is on the "vain," and not on the "repetition."

Matt. 26:44 - for example, Jesus prayed a third time in the garden of Gethsemane, saying the exact same words again. It is not the repetition that is the issue. It's the vanity. God looks into our heart, not solely at our words.

Luke 18:13 - the tax collector kept beating his breast and praying "God be merciful to me, a sinner." This repetitive prayer was pleasing to God because it was offered with a sincere and repentant heart.

Acts 10:2,4 - Cornelius prayed constantly to the Lord and his prayers ascended as a memorial before God.

Rom. 1:9 - Paul says that he always mentions the Romans in his prayers without ceasing.

Rom. 12:12 - Paul commands us to be constant in prayer. God looks at what is in our heart, not necessarily how we choose our words.

1 Thess. 5:17 - Paul commands us to pray constantly. Good repetition is different than vain repetition.

Rev. 4:8 - the angels pray day and night without cessation the same words "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty." This is repetitious prayer that is pleasing to God.

Psalm 136 - in this Psalm, the phrase "For His steadfast love endures forever" is more repetitious than any Catholic prayer, and it is God's divine Word.

Dan. 3:35-66 - the phrase "Bless the Lord" is similarly offered repeatedly, and mirrors Catholic litanies.

Here is a good example"

What does The Bible say about repitious prayers?

Luke 20:46-47 (New International Version)

46"Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."

Do we think that God is interested in just hearing the same prayer repeated over & over?

NO! Prayer should be spontaneous, unplanned & UNritualized, coming straight from the heart!

You want to know what true prayer is? Read the Psalms!

They are ALL prayers! Do you ever get the impression from the psalms that these were just methodical, written down prayers?

No, they are David & the other psalm writers heartfelt cries to God! There is no kind of ritual involved in them!

And what do we see about God when it comes to true prayer, & just about every other aspect of our relationship with Him?

1 Samuel 16:7 (New International Version)

Source(s):

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

praise is 1 thing.repetitous praying is another.God knows what you need b4 we ask.So why do you think you want to keep asking for a new car ,financial blessings every night.Vain repetition....if you are asking him to heal the broken hearted,bless the doctors,help find a way to feed the hungry and provide for the homeless..ok that's good.But God bless Me ,my family .us four and no more? I think pure selfishness.IJS

Perhaps Jesus was referring to repetitive prayer when he used the neighbor parable. The one where a person is sleeping and his neighbor keeps knocking at his door until the man realizes his neighbor wasn't going to give up and go away until he gets out of bed a finally gives him what he wants. Keep praying.....keep knocking. God does reward persistence.

Jesus said we should pray like this:

our father, who are in heaven, hallow be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven....and im sure u know the rest...He said ppl who say long prayers are like babbling pagans...lol...so im sure that's the same as repeating a prayer...he hears you the first time...

Matthew 6:7-8 NASV

"And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."

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Short answer:

That Scripture refers to trying to impress God. Ain't happening. He is not impressed with you. Or with me.

However, I find many of my prayers are not intended to remind God of who I am, but rather to remind me of who God is. Bright though I may be, sometimes that requires repetition.

WHEN WE PRAY, WE MUST ASK FOR THINGS IN JESUS NAME FOR GODS OWN WILL BE DONE UPON THE EARTH.