Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts addresses the common concern that repetitive prayer may seem useless or unenjoyable. Jesus cautioned against “vain repetitions” in Matthew 6:7, but encouraged persistence in prayer through the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18. Repetitive prayer can strengthen faith and is encouraged when done with a heartfelt motive. Faith is crucial, as it involves conviction and belief in unseen outcomes, as described in Hebrews 11:1. By understanding these principles, one can enhance their prayer life and overcome doubts about repetition.
Here are four key points from ” Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts”:
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
by Delbert Young
This series and much more can be found at sermonsbydelbertyoung.com and Delbert Young Sermons on YouTube.
Bad Repetition Prayer
One reason we feel repetition prayer is bad is because of a statement Jesus Himself made about this topic in Matthew 6:7. Let’s look at this verse of Scripture.
(KJV) Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not VAIN REPETITIONS, as the HEATHEN DO: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
(NIV) Matthew 6:7 And when you pray, do not KEEP ON BABBLING like PAGANS, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
The Greek word translated “vain repetitions” in the King James Version and “keep on babbling” in the New International Version is battologeo and pronounced bat-tol-og-eh’-o. The word means:
(1) to stammer
(2) to repeat the same things over and over, to use many idle words, to babble, prate (talk foolishly or at tedious length about something).
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
As we saw in a previous lesson, the context of the passage in Matthew 6:7 is The Sermon On The Mount and Jesus teaching about how we should pray. He even prayed it audibly for us. Jesus taught this prayer in contrast to how other religions pray, i.e., “the heathens” (KJV) or “pagans” (NIV). If our purpose in prayer is “much speaking” (KJV) or “many words” (NIV), then repeating prayer is definitely an incorrect way to pray and is bad.
However, if our motive for praying repetitive prayer is heartfelt and not giving up, then repetitive prayer is good and powerful. Actually, repeated prayer can develop our faith and increase our belief within us. Jesus taught us this in Luke 18 (below).
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
Good Repetition Prayer
Jesus told a parable we call “The Parable of the Persistent Widow.” We’ll read the parable in both the King James Version and the New International Version, and then we’ll discuss it.
(KJV) Luke 18:1-8 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, THAT MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY, AND NOT TO FAINT;
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not FOR A WHILE: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her CONTINUAL COMING she weary me.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And SHALL NOT GOD AVENGE HIS OWN ELECT, WHICH CRY DAY AND NIGHT UNTO HIM, THOUGH HE BEAR LONG with them?
8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, SHALL HE FIND FAITH on the earth?
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
(NIV) Luke 18:1-8 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable TO SHOW THEM THAT THEY SHOULD ALWAYS PRAY AND NOT GIVE UP.
2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.
3 And there was a widow in that town who KEPT COMING TO HIM with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4 “FOR SOME TIME HE REFUSED. BUT FINALLY he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men,
5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!'”
6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.
7 And WILL NOT GOD BRING ABOUT JUSTICE FOR HIS CHOSEN ONES, WHO CRY OUT TO HIM DAY AND NIGHT? Will he keep putting them off?
8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, WILL HE FIND FAITH on the earth?”
Do you ever feel you are bothering the Lord when you repeat the same prayer over and over? In truth, according to Jesus, repetition prayer, keeping on coming to Father, is prayer that does not “faint” or does not “give up.”
We need to understand the context of this parable. The context is that Jesus told His disciples a short version about His coming as the Son of Man, which included the end of the Jewish temple, destruction of Jerusalem, and the end of Jewish worship, i.e., animal sacrifice, Temple worship, etc. (Luk 17:20-37). (He gave greater detail about this coming in Luke 21:10-36 and Matthew 24.) This event is the “great tribulation” (KJV) and “great distress” (NIV) in Matthew 24:21. In Luke 21:22 it’s “days of vengeance” (KJV) and “time of punishment” (NIV). This is why the parable ends with “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
The context includes the coming of the Son of Man. Jesus taught His disciples about this coming and gave this parable around 33 A.D. This coming happened and the Jewish Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., nearly 40 years later.
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
The point is that Jesus instructed and expected His disciples and followers to repeatedly pray for this to happen, even when it seemed it wouldn’t happen. The Lord Jesus wanted them to pray day and night, keep continually coming before Father, and never give up. It took nearly forty years for their prayer to be answered, but it happened.
Jesus isn’t comparing Our Father to the unjust judge.
Our Father is just and righteous. It’s more we need to wait for Our Father’s perfect timing and keep our faith active by believing what we pray repeatedly will happen. Many events took place to bring about the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70. Father was putting events together precisely as He puts events together to answer our prayers. Don’t give up. Keep coming before Our Father.
So, praying for something for years, over and over, day and night, is encouraged by the Lord Jesus! Repetitive prayer is good when we’re not babbling vain, meaningless repetitions attempting to appear “spiritual” to others or lengthen our prayer time so we can boast about how long we prayed. Keep on praying. It may take forty years, or it may never happen in our lifetime, but never give up.
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
Great Faith Is Developed In Repetitive Prayer
I took a little extra time to point out a significant point in the parable we usually miss.
(KJV) Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the SON OF MAN COMETH, SHALL HE FIND FAITH ON THE EARTH?
(NIV) Luke 18:8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the SON OF MAN COMES, WILL HE FIND FAITH ON THE EARTH?”
Jesus connected faith to repetitive prayers. It seems the Lord Jesus told the parable to make the point of keeping faith when praying repetitive prayers. We learn from the parable how repetitive prayers are good, but the actual point of the parable is that Jesus wants His disciples to keep faith when praying repetitive prayers.
Faith is somewhat of a mystical thought. Faith has power, and we must have faith to please God (Heb 11:6). The Lord wants us to utilize this power when we pray. So we need to exercise faith when we pray, but what is faith exactly, and how do we exercise our faith? I mean, how can I understand faith? How can I get and develop my faith? I’m not certain faith is intended to be understood. However, I do think we can have a working knowledge of faith and knowledge on how we can get, exercise, and develop faith.
Let’s do what I do when studying and teaching Scriptures. Let’s first do a word study. The Greek word translated most often as “faith” is “pistis” pronounced pis’-tis. The meaning is:
(1) conviction (a firmly held belief or opinion) of the truth of anything, belief;
(2) relating to God – the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ
(3) relating to Christ – a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
So, faith is first a conviction (a firmly held belief or opinion). Faith (pistis) is a deep conviction or belief. The Greek word pistis is used 244 times in the New Testament and translated into six different English words in the King James Version, i.e., faith, assurance, believe, belief, them that believe, and fidelity.
We can be faithful to God, Christ, our spouse, people, church, prayer, etc. Being faithful to someone or something is fidelity, faithfulness. However, in prayer, faith takes on a supernatural spiritual dimension.
When we pray, we realize we are entering the spiritual dimension, i.e., the dimension of God’s (Trinity). When praying, we enter a different dimension.
In prayer, faith is a conviction and belief that what hasn’t yet happened will indeed happen in the natural dimension, but has already happened in the spiritual dimension. Praying in faith transcends “asking” Our Father to do something. It’s believing it’s already done. We just can’t see it yet.
Scriptures give us a definition of faith. Actually, the entire chapter of Hebrews 11 is about faith and gives example after example of how people in the Old Testament developed and used faith. It would be good to familiarize yourself with Hebrews chapter 11. Here’s the Scriptural definition of faith.
(KJV) Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
(NIV) Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
This certainly clarifies what faith is, doesn’t it? No, but I think I can help. Faith is more than hoping alone. Faith needs substance added. Substance must be added to our hope to be faith. Faith needs evidence added to what we can’t see (KJV). Faith needs us to be sure (certain) our hope will happen and certain that what we do not yet see in the natural dimension already exists (NIV).
Again, praying enters the supernatural spiritual dimension, i.e., things not seen with the natural eye exist in the supernatural spiritual. The spiritual dimension is where faith lives. So we become certain that things we cannot yet see in the natural dimension will happen by allowing faith to operate and do its job. What do I mean? How do we allow faith to operate and do its job in the spiritual dimension? I’m happy you asked.
The Book of Hebrews is the first example of faith.
The very first example the Book of Hebrews chapter 11 gives us about faith working is God (Trinity) operating in the spiritual dimension with faith.
(KJV) Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Before reading this verse from the NIV, I want to work from the KJV. God (Trinity) created the “worlds” by “the word of God.” This talks about how creation happened through faith. God spoke words into black empty nothingness. Imagine a black void, empty, endless space, and God speaking to it. This nothingness didn’t have ears, but God spoke to it nonetheless.
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
In context, using Hebrews’ definition of faith, God’s hope framed the universe. He began adding “substance.” God had designed inwardly what the universe should be. He saw it inwardly before anything became something. To His hope, God first added the vision, or design, or detailed picture, of what He saw inwardly, i.e., where it would be, how it would look, what it would do, etc. He pictured it in great detail. This planet would sit here. This moon would orbit this planet, this sun would give this much light and heat, etc. This design substance was added to God’s hope.
Next, God added the substance of words to hope and design. As God saw it, He said it with audible words. “And God said, ‘Let there be…'” From His words came a certainty that what He said would happen. Certainty was added to hope, design, and words. From hope, design, words, and certainty came things we now see, i.e., galaxies, planets, stars, moons, suns, the universe, life, etc.
Into the black void, empty endless space of nothing, God spoke words of what He envisioned and wanted to happen, and what He said happened.
Faith began with hope.
Substance must be added to hope. First, the substance of an inward vision or a picture of what God wanted. Next, He added the substance of audible words. God saw it inwardly. Then He described it with descriptive words. Adding words creates detail and certainty. Seeing it and speaking it became evidence, being sure, and certainty.
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
Reading this verse from the NIV should verify what I said.
(NIV) Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, SO THAT what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
Ask you a question so we won’t miss it. According to the Scripture above, from what was the universe formed?
Answer: ________________________________________
The answer is “God’s command.” To command it, we must first hope it and inwardly see it. And Hebrews 11:3 uses this truth to teach us faith. Your words can issue commands into the black void, empty, endless space. Your words can create something from nothing. That’s faith, and that’s entering into the supernatural spiritual dimension when praying with faith.
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
God didn’t ask. As we’ve said, there is no “asking” in the Lord’s prayer. It’s more about declaring and speaking what will happen. When Jesus healed people and worked miracles, He didn’t ask Father to heal or work a miracle. Jesus commanded something unseen to manifest in the seen. Add this commanding aspect to your prayers. It’s faith.
How does this figure in repetitive prayer?
When we pray, even when it’s the same prayer day after day, week after week, and maybe year after year, we realize we are entering the spiritual, supernatural dimension. You need to put your faith to work by hoping, seeing it happen, and commanding to happen what you see. The supernatural spiritual dimension is not some spooky Hollywood movie. It’s not weird. Jesus didn’t get weird when He prayed. He simply commanded things to happen. It’s not as if I have an out-of-body experience. When praying, I simply realize I’m doing something spiritual. I’m praying, and praying is spiritual and supernatural.
Even knowing what I’ve shared previously and taught for years about faith prayer is not being asking prayer, I occasionally find myself “asking” Father to do something. It’s as though the Holy Spirit reminds me to add substance to my hope. He says, take your position as a son of God, and enter into faith prayer, adding the substance of inwardly seeing it and the substance of commanding words, declaring what will happen.
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
Personal example
Allow me to give you a personal example. In 2015, my wife and I were visiting our son and his family. They left their two sons, two of our grandsons, with us while they went to do some things. While they were gone, some young boys shooting fireworks caused a wooded area next to their house to catch fire. The fire department evacuated the neighborhood. My wife inhaled a lot of hot smoke, as did we all, but it caused my wife to develop a severe cough.
She coughed for weeks, day and night. We went to doctors, plural, in an attempt to stop the cough. They put her on all sorts of medications. The medications shut down her kidneys, causing her body to retain fluids, and her body became swollen.
We ended up in the hospital, and the doctors were talking about dialysis. Of course, I prayed this type of faith prayer. I would inwardly see her kidneys functioning as they should, the swelling gone, and hear inwardly the doctors telling her she was healed. It happened, but that’s not all I’m wanting to share. Yes, her kidneys were healed, but the swelling caused nerve damage in her legs. She complained about her legs hurting constantly. She couldn’t walk but short distances, and she couldn’t bend her legs without severe pain. Also, she definitely couldn’t squat. Doctors said it would probably never heal, and she’d have to live with it. I did not accept what they said.
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
Remember, this was 2015. As I write, it’s 2022. I’ve prayed every day for her legs during my personal prayer time. I say something like this: “Our Father, concerning Judy, I see the nerves in her legs are healed. I see her walking as far as she wants, even walking on the beach with me holding hands, laughing, and watching the sun set. Also, I see her squatting, getting pans from the bottom cabinets, and her legs not hurting her. She does not talk about them hurting. I see her healed, and I pray, see, and command this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen! (Amen means “so be it.”)
I wasn’t commanding Our Father what to do. From what I pictured inwardly, I was speaking words of command into the supernatural spiritual dimension. By doing this, I was adding substance and certainty to my hope.
For seven years, I prayed that prayer.
I began noticing a few months back that she had not mentioned or complained about her legs hurting. So, during my prayer time, I thank Father that since she wasn’t mentioning her legs hurting, they must not be hurting as badly, but I continued seeing us walking the beach, her squatting, and her being healed. I’d speak commands into the spiritual dimension. I wasn’t asking Our Father to heal her. I was commanding it to happen.
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
We live on the 11th floor in a condo. Yesterday (as I write), I had to leave the house. While I was gone, a massive storm came through our area with tornadoes. Frightened, she called me on the phone, but I’d left my phone in my truck. Told by the weather stations to get to lower levels, she walked down all 11 flights of stairs. Eleven flights of stairs require a lot of bending of your legs. She was afraid the elevators would stop if a tornado hit our condominium.
When I pulled in, she stood at the drive-through waiting for me. I had no idea she’d walked down the stairs. I would never have dreamed she would even try. When she got into my truck, she told me she’d walked down the stairs. I said, “You did what!” I couldn’t believe it. Her legs were weak, as my legs would be after walking down 11 flights of stairs, but she was not hurting.
My heart was so happy!
I was happy, rejoicing, and laughing. She said, “It’s not funny!” I told her I wasn’t laughing because she had to walk down eleven flights of stairs. I rejoiced in laughter because she COULD walk down eleven flights of stairs! So, I prayed that prayer seven years, day after day, repeating nearly the same thing each time. Each time I’d see it more vividly with more detail. I’d add what I saw to what I commanded.
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
Last night, in my “closet prayer” time after the weather cleared, I was still rejoicing, but rejoicing this time with Our Father. As I write this, I’m still rejoicing, and my heart is so happy. It’s like when Jesus told His disciples in the parable Don’t stop praying even when you’re discouraged. Use your faith. I want to find faith. Don’t give up even though it seems long. Hope it! See it! Add details! Command it! Have it!
Add declarative commanding words to your prayers. It’s faith! Prayer is far more than asking God for something or asking Him to do something. Be aware that the first time we see it and speak into nothing, it will seem strange and weird. Your mind will tell you, “Who do you think you are commanding this to happen! Do you really think this will work?” Tell your mind, “I’m not talking to you. I’m speaking into the spiritual realm. I am a child of the Most High God, and what I say has authority!” Don’t listen to your mind. Listen to your spirit. Your spirit will love it.
When we continue repeating and declaring what we desire to see visibly happen day after day something takes place inside us. It’s faith at work.
With each repetition inwardly, we see what we are speaking happen clearly and with more detail. Substance, evidence, and certainty are added to hope.
You’ve heard it said that if we say something long enough, we will believe it. That’s the point and principle.
This is what Jesus instructed us to do when we pray.
I want to end this lesson, but I can’t get released in my spirit until I talk about one more passage of Scripture we discussed last time, but not at this level.
As shown in the previous lesson, Jesus’s teaching on faith came after He spoke audibly to a fig tree. A disciple questioned Jesus about the fig tree withering after Jesus cursed it. To this inquiry, Jesus replied:
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
(KJV) Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, HAVE FAITH IN GOD.
23 For verily I say unto you, That WHOSOEVER SHALL SAY unto this MOUNTAIN, BE THOU REMOVED, AND BE THOU CAST INTO THE SEA; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; HE SHALL HAVE WHATSOEVER HE SAITH.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever YE DESIRE, WHEN YE PRAY, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
(NIV) Mark 11:22 “HAVE FAITH IN GOD,” Jesus answered.
23 “I tell you the truth, if ANYONE SAYS TO THIS MOUNTAIN, ‘GO, THROW YOURSELF INTO THE SEA,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you
Immediately, we see Jesus teaching them about faith and how faith works.
It always amazes me when I read Jesus said, “I tell you the truth,” as if Jesus would not tell the truth. He wanted them to know they could put this teaching in the bank. This works!
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
He then used an inanimate object, a mountain, as an example and said, “whosoever shall say unto this mountain…” (KJV) and “if anyone says to this mountain…” (NIV). This works for “whosoever” or “anyone.” I’m a whosoever and you’re a whosoever. Everyone fits into the category of an “anyone,” so this principle is universal and not only for believers. This works. However, there is one catch, and I’ll mention it at the end.
Jesus said If anyone with audible words commands ‘this mountain, GO, THROW YOURSELF INTO THE SEA,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.” Don’t doubt. Believe what you command will happen, and it will happen. You will have what you said and desire.
Our point is faith must include “say unto” to whatever you want to see happen, speak audible commands into the spiritual realm what you want to see happen, i.e. “go, throw yourself into the sea” (be as specific as possible), BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED IT (past tense, i.e. walking on the beach, squatting, etc.), and ye shall have them (plural).
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
One last thought
There is a catch Jesus added to this “whosoever” and “anyone” faith prayer. Jesus added forgiveness to His faith teaching.
(KJV) Mark 11:25 And WHEN YE STAND PRAYING, FORGIVE, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
(NIV) Mark 11:25 And WHEN YOU STAND PRAYING, IF YOU HOLD ANYTHING AGAINST ANYONE, FORGIVE HIM, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
If we want our prayers to carry the power to move mountains, we must forgive. This thought will be included in a separate lesson, but while here, it should be mentioned. We can have all the faith in the world, but if we refuse to forgive someone, the mountain will never move.
Hope it! Desire the mountain cast into the sea. See it! See the mountain cast into the sea. Say it! Command the mountain cast into the sea. Forgive everyone, “and what he says will happen, it will be done for him.”
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
Summing up “Is Repetition Prayer Bad?”
It depends. The Lord Jesus warned us not to repeat “vain repetitions” and “babbling.” This is bad. However, He encouraged His disciples using a parable to continuously pray night and day for something that took nearly forty years to happen. In the same parable, Jesus asked if the Son of Man would find faith. Faith must be a part of repetitive prayers. A reason is that faith will fight off discouragement and redundancy when praying by repeatedly seeing it inwardly every day and repeatedly talking to it every day. Now wait, continuously check our hearts concerning forgiveness, and one day the things we desired to see and prayed for will happen.
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts
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Is Repetition Prayer Bad? How to Overcome Doubts