There is incredible power in the biblical practice of prayer and fasting. Jesus told a story about how it can help us find the spiritual breakthrough we’ve been seeking.
Mark 9:14-29 tells us about a time when the disciples were unable to cast a demon out of a boy. When Jesus arrived, He cast out the spirit, and the boy was set free and healed. His disciples did not understand why they had power to perform some miracles but not this one: “And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”
God doesn’t need anything from us to move in the world—God can do anything. But for some reason, God chooses to invite us to partner with Him—He calls us to pray and fast. And He moves on our behalf and increases our faith when we do.
When you are burdened by the problems in the world, pray and fast
When the greatness of the problems in the world overwhelms you and when you see the brokenness of the world around you, let the urgency lead you to a desperation for God to move. Let it lead you to seek Him in an even greater way.
When you are hungry for more of God, pray and fast
The amazing thing about the gospel is when you receive Jesus, you are satisfied like you have never been before, and yet you will always be hungry for even more of God.
Paul said, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8). He had a hunger to know God more every day. Sometimes we are so hungry for God we will fast if it means we can experience Him more.
There is something about that experience that opens our hearts to receiving more of God’s presence in our lives. It might not happen in the middle of the fast, because we will probably feel weak and frail. But either during or after fasting—even in the months or years following a time of fasting, we will see the strong results of seeking more of God.
When you need a breakthrough, pray and fast
Author and pastor Ronnie Floyd writes, “Fasting is the gateway to breakthrough” in our lives. When he was enduring personal trials, including his wife’s cancer diagnosis, he set aside special seasons of prayer and fasting and saw God do greater things than he had ever seen before—in both his own life and that of his church.
There is something about this discipline that breaks strongholds over the things we have been praying for. God moves in an even greater way.
When you sense God is preparing you for something new, pray and fast
God will give you a greater desire to pray and fast when He is about to move in bigger ways in your life.
Author and pastor Jentezen Franklin says, “God calls us to fast when He’s preparing us for something new He is about to do, something that’s ahead.”
We need a special grace from God to do so. The Bible tells us that God desires obedience from us, not sacrifice. He isn’t looking for us to be radical or intense, but obedient and faithful to what He is stirring in us to do.
While fasting seems to be a forgotten discipline for many believers, I have recently seen a growing hunger and desire for it, including in my own life. I believe God is giving His people an increased desire to fast because He is about to move in greater ways in our lives, churches, and world.
Matt Brown
Matt Brown is an evangelist, author of Truth Plus Love: The Jesus Way to Influence, host of Think Eternity with Matt Brown, and founder of Think Eternity—a ministry dedicated to amplifying the gospel every day through podcasts, devotionals, videos, live events, and more. Matt and his wife, Michelle, have three children and live near Minneapolis, Minnesota. You can follow Matt at @evangelistmatt and thinke.org.
17 replies on “The Power of Prayer and Fasting”
Thanks for the post
I have been dealing with a personal addiction for all my life. I have tried to stop, but this sin keeps hold of me. I feel like I have lost my will and surely lost my God in the process. I even feel scared to talk to God at this point in my life. Reading this article about praying and fasting is encouraging, but I feel unworthy to do so. Can you please help me?
Stephan, we are all unworthy to commune and talk with God, even for example the great Apostle Paul was unworthy… But! We are made worthy through Christ!
God *always* wants to hear from you, especially when you are struggling. Ask Him for help, and He will surely grant it, for He promised to do so.
Don’t let the accusations of the enemy discourage you. Approach the throne boldly, because Christ has defeated every sin, including yours and mine. God loves you more than you can begin to imagine, so don’t leave Him alone.
Many blessings to you.
Hey Stephan. I understand you but I think that’s an even greater reason to fast. Also, God will never ever forsake or not forgive us when we are truly sorry. Of course there are times we mess up and it feels like He’s presence is gone but He’s always there leading us to realize our sin and come back to Him. “The goodness of God leads us to repentance” and we can live everyday to abide in His love and grace and its in these moments when we dont feel Him and we feel unworthy of His awesome love that we need to seek Him the most.
Also in our own strength, we all cant help ourselves, we are all hopeless addicts to something but God can help us and He will give us, if we ask Him, the will and the strength to overcome the sin which so easily ensnares us.Its hard but if we surrender to God, He’ll help us move those mountains or even climb them instead.
If you want, you and I can schedule a fast soon and pray for each other to our God. Also please read psalm 103 and Psalm 139 and Romans 8:26,31-39
Kind regards.
When a person accepts Jesus as personal Lord and Savior, that person is made worthy…not by his or her own strength or righteousness, but by the blood of Jesus which has washed away all of our filth and shame. He makes us righteous and worthy, so please don’t believe any lie that pops into your head to make you think you are not worthy. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” And also 2 Cor 5:21 – “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin [Jesus], so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Take that next step boldly toward God. He is waiting with open arms.
Hi Stephan, God bless you for sharing this. It’s always important to reach out for help. Just a reminder, God loves you. As humans we were never worthy of His love and His grace, but He still came to us through Jesus to deliver us because He knew we could and we never deliver ourselves from our sins.
Once again God loves you and He loves you just as you are and loves you toooo much to leave you the way you are….. He wants you to be better. God wants you to trust Him, trust His word and ofcourse, He wants you to trust His love.
To overcome temptation
. Believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of your life
. Receive His NEVER-ENDING love
. Trust God in this Christian faith to be Holy, live righteous(just as He has called you)
.Read His word everyday
.Trust God everyday and
. Share His word everyday to your friends, family and everyone around you.
And you will see you self resist and change, resist and change day and day by the grace of God.
Let’s start with this
Micah 7:18
Isaiah 41:13
Read this and believe this with ALL YOUR HEART.
God bless you in Jesus name
Have a nice and faith FULL day in Jesus name
Stephan know you are loved by the Almighty. Through Him all things are possible. He wants you to go to Him. You are His beloved child.
I am praying for you…
If your seeking bro he is calling. None of us are worthy. But our worth is found in Christ our eternal worth. Press onward my friend
Consider the beautiful work on the cross for people like us still caught up in sin! God isn’t done with you yet so don’t decide that He is. His love is perfect so you can trust Him not your thoughts about Him. There are many faith based addiction programs ready for you….Adult & Teen Challenge or Celebrate Recovery are two national ones. I pray you don’t shut an almighty miracle out of your life! God bless you
I wish and ask for strength to do this so I can be set free from this darkness that surround my life presently even praying seems not enough or doesn’t work but after reading this l hope God is still waiting for my crying? help me every thing seems difficult even to eat debt keep on wallowing me
This post has given me a deeper understanding and reason for why I need to Fast and Pray. Thank you
How should one fast and for how long.
Thank you so much for the word. I’m more than a sinner before God. I have sinned in many ways. I’m tired of adultery. I’m trying hard to let it go. Everything in my life is now upside down. I have lost a job. My broke up my step dad. My sister was impregnated and all his preparation was stolen. Of which she is now left with a month to bear her child. We don’t have a place to stay. What should I do to make everything alright. I want to pray and fast to open the doors in my life. I’m tired I even think of suicides. But I know God loves me. I need your prayers and how can I be a full believer.
My prayer points
To be a believer
To have a job to cater for my family
To have a project if I get finances
Power of praying and fasting well defined. I need a breakthrough in my life. Please keep me in your prayers.
Thank You
Thank you for posting content that lifts readers spiritually. I love reading writings about God. God exists, and I feel him in my life. When life gets hard, I know he helps me overcome all the struggles and be stronger than I was yesterday. Praise God!
It’s wonderful to know about what you didn’t understand, but with God Of glory, shall he reveals unknown things to know on to us