Spiritual Disciplines
Fasting and prayer are not two separate disciplines that happen to go well together — they are designed to function as one. Jesus never said "if you fast" or "if you pray." He said "when you fast" and "when you pray" (Matthew 6). He assumed that His followers would do both. Together. Regularly. The question is not whether you should fast and pray. The question is what kind of life you want — and what kind of spiritual access you want to walk in.
Prayer alone is powerful. But prayer combined with fasting is a different level entirely. Here is why: when you fast, you are denying your flesh its most basic demand. Every time your stomach growls and you say no — that is an act of authority over yourself. The discipline you build in your body transfers into your spirit. You become more focused, more attuned, and more persistent in prayer.
Fasting also removes distractions. Food is not just sustenance — it is often a comfort, an escape, a habit. When you remove it, you are left with God. You are forced to face what you have been numbing. You are positioned to hear things you have been too busy to hear.
In Matthew 17, when the disciples could not cast out a demon, Jesus told them this kind only comes out through prayer and fasting. There are things in your life that will not move through ordinary prayer. They require the kind of spiritual authority that only comes from consistent fasting.
Morning
Begin every day of your fast with prayer before anything else — before coffee, before your phone, before the news. Give God the first moments. Psalm 5:3 says, 'In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice. In the morning I lay my requests before You and wait expectantly.'
Midday
Use your lunch break for prayer instead of a meal. This is one of the most practical benefits of fasting — your mealtime becomes prayer time. Fifteen to thirty minutes of focused, specific prayer in the middle of the day can shift the atmosphere of your entire afternoon.
Evening
End each day by reviewing what God spoke to you, worshiping, and interceding for others. Evening prayer during a fast tends to be the deepest and most prophetic. Your flesh is weary, but your spirit has been fed all day.
Take It Further
We will agree with you in prayer while you fast. Submit your request and let us stand with you.
Submit a Prayer Request