Is repeated prayer for the same thing a lack of faith?

Question:        From my understanding praying for something more than once shows a lack of faith. Why did Jesus pray three times to let this cup pass from him?  Did he lack faith or was he just being persistent?

 

Answer:          If you pray for the same thing more that once, it shows a lack of faith; Mark. 11:24, “…..what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”  If you repeat the same request, this means that you did not believe that you receive the first time you prayed.

            Yes, Jesus did pray three times in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Sometimes, when we pray, the answer is given immediately.  If the answer isn’t the one we wanted to hear, somehow we think God misunderstood our request, so we repeat the prayer; asking for the same thing again.  This happens because the flesh is always warring against the spirit; Mt. 26:41, “…..the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

            If you look closely, Jesus prayed at least two different prayers.  The first time He prayed, He asked the Father for a different way to accomplish the same objective: Mt. 26:39, “…..if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…..”  The second time He prayed, He wasn’t requesting anything.  He was acknowledging the fact that there was no other way to avoid the cup and he was a willing vessel; Mt. 26:42, “…..if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.”  Scripture does not record the third prayer.  It only states that He said the same words.  We know He indicated thy will be done the first time He prayed and the second time He prayed.  It’s just possible that the third time He prayed, He was reassuring the Father that the Father’s will; will be done.

            To answer your question, I don’t think it was persistence or a lack of faith.  It was not persistence because Jesus did not repeatedly request the same thing.  It was not a lack of faith because Jesus knew that God heard him the first time He prayed; John, 11:42, “…..I knew that thou hearest me always…..”