How many times were we supposed to pray?

Q: Does the Bible say to pray every day?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Q: How often does Jesus say to pray?

Consider Luke 18:1: Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Or Ephesians 6:18: pray in the Spirit on all occasions ... always keep on praying.” Or 1 Thessalonians 5:17: pray continually.”

Table of Contents Show

Pray Continually
Never Neglect Prayer Time
How many times do you have to pray?
How often did Jesus pray in the Bible?
Does the Bible say to pray every day?
How often does Jesus say to pray?

Prayer is a curious topic to discuss. Even more so, it is a mysterious process to take part in. Prayer, at its core, is conversation with God. Not just speaking, but also listening. Prayer is a distinguishing mark of a Christian; he prays because he believes that God exists, that God listens, and that God cares.

For as long as there have been church pews and bedsides, pastors and parents have been teaching people how to pray. Stand up. Sit down. Kneel. Bow. Close your eyes. Fold your hands. Sit still. Pray when you get up in the morning. Pray before you go to bed. Always start your prayers with "Our Father." Always end your prayers with "In Jesus' name, amen." At first glance this seems to be a prescriptive summary of how to pray, meaning that we should do these things. Yet, as God's grace abounds, this list is permissive, meaning that it is how we can pray. There is no one correct body position or time of day or specific words required in prayer. Our ability to pray to God is founded upon His grace received by faith in Jesus. Jesus gives us access to God through prayer (Hebrews 4:14–16; 10:19–23); prayer is not a magical formula, but an outworking of our relationship with God.

Jesus tells us that prayer is to be part of our normal lives, and He guides us on how to go about it. He says "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matthew 6:5–8).

We learn from Jesus that we are expected to pray, that we should be honest and not have a hidden agenda, and that we should pray to God and not pray to impress people. He teaches that it is best to pray with humility and often in private, with God alone. We can use plain, simple, and honest language with God, kind of like a small child speaking to his father. No big words, no pride. In Matthew 6:8, we receive great comfort and encouragement, that God already knows what we are thinking, and still He wants us to talk to Him about it.

Again, prayer is not a magic formula or perfect script that helps us get what we want. We don't have to kneel before God to keep Him from getting angry. We don't have to recite the right words with the right tone to get Him to pay attention. We get to talk to God with confidence that He hears us (1 John 5:14–15), and confidence that He speaks to us through Jesus (Hebrews 1:1–2). Philippians 4:6–7 tells us to pray without being anxious, to pray about everything, and to pray with thankful hearts. Rather than worry about prayer being hard or intimidating, we can simply respond to Jesus' invitation, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). We can come to God just as we are, without pretending but instead with honesty. He delights in our coming to Him more than our words.

Jesus' most popular teaching on the topic of prayer is in Matthew 6:9–13 and is referred to as the Lord's Prayer. This is often recited in churches as part of corporate worship, though it does not need to be. The Lord's Prayer is a beautiful summary of how we can pray, and it conveys truth about who God is. It is primarily a guide, an invitation, an expression of the relationship that God wants to have with us. The Lord's Prayer shows us that God is close and loving like a father, that He is sovereign and in control of all things, that He is the one who gives us everything we need, that He is the one who ultimately forgives, and that He alone protects us. If you are unsure of who God is, this list is a list you can believe in!

God has invited us to talk with Him and we can go gladly, "My heart has heard you say, 'Come and talk with me.' And my heart responds, 'LORD I am coming'" (Psalm 27:8, NLT).

Related Truth:

What types of prayer are mentioned in the Bible?

Is silent prayer biblical?

Is praying out loud okay?

What is the importance of daily prayer in the life of a Christian?

How does a person pray in Jesus' name?

Return to:
Truth about Prayer

How often is a Christian supposed to pray according to the Bible? Is it a certain number of times or hours a day?

Pray Continually

(Ephesians 6:18) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

(1 Thessalonians 5:17) Pray continually

(Colossians 4:2) Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving NKJV

(Luke 18:1) Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

When the Bible says to pray continually, it doesn’t mean we are supposed to be on our knees twenty-four hours a day. It does mean that in everything we do, we are always to have God on our minds. As we go throughout our day, God can always be in our thoughts. When we talk about praying always, a person should keep in mind that praying can occur more than just at Church, or when you are on your knees at the foot of your bed.

Prayer can be while you are driving a car, on your job, cooking supper, or any number of other daily activities that keep us busy. It can be as simple as thanking God for a beautiful day, or it could be asking Jesus for help when the car starts sliding on a wet road.

Never Neglect Prayer Time

It is very important that we do not neglect the one on one time we need with God. There should always be dedicated time set aside in our day to talk with God. We should put down our cell phones and any other distractions that can cause us to not be focused on our praying. This might be in the morning for some, and at night for others.

If a husband or wife were to neglect speaking to their spouse for a few days, you could expect they would soon find themselves in a very unhealthy relationship. There has to be constant communication between them, just as we have to keep our prayer lives constant. As it is with the husband and wife, not talking to God on a continual basis will quickly cause our relationship with him to not function as it should. Prayer should not just be often, but very often!

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How many times do you have to pray?

Five daily prayers. The five daily prayers are obligatory (fard) and they are performed at times determined essentially by the position of the Sun in the sky. Hence, salat times vary at different locations on the Earth.

How often did Jesus pray in the Bible?

R. A. Torrey notes that Jesus prayed early in the morning as well as all night, that he prayed both before and after the great events of his life, and that he prayed "when life was unusually busy".

Does the Bible say to pray every day?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”

How often does Jesus say to pray?

Consider Luke 18:1: “Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Or Ephesians 6:18: “pray in the Spirit on all occasions ... always keep on praying.” Or 1 Thessalonians 5:17: “pray continually.”