Many of us know how to pray.
We whisper prayers throughout the day. We pray before meals, before decisions, in moments of fear, and in moments of hope. Prayer feels natural, accessible, and familiar. And it should — prayer is our direct line to God.
But Scripture reveals something we often overlook: there are moments when prayer alone is not enough.
Jesus Himself made this clear. He didn’t say if you pray, or if you fast. He said when you do both. In the life of a believer, prayer and fasting were never meant to be separate disciplines — they were designed to work together.
Prayer connects us to heaven.
Fasting disconnects us from earth.
Prayer aligns our hearts with God’s will.
Fasting strips away distractions that compete for our attention.
Together, they create space for God to move in ways that would otherwise remain unreachable.
Throughout Scripture, prayer and fasting appear in moments of desperation, transition, and spiritual warfare — especially when God’s people face battles they cannot win on their own. These are the moments when human strength runs out, when familiar strategies fail, and when what once worked no longer does.
In those moments, fasting becomes a declaration:
“God, I need You more than I need comfort.
More than control.
More than routine.
More than what sustains me naturally.”
Fasting is not about earning God’s favor or proving spiritual strength. It’s about humility. It’s about removing the noise so we can hear clearly. It’s about creating room for God to give direction, clarity, and breakthrough.
When King Jehoshaphat faced an enemy that outnumbered him, his first response was not panic or strategy — it was prayer. But he didn’t stop there. He called the people to fast. He understood something deeply spiritual: some battles require more than asking — they require surrender.
Prayer says, “God, here is the problem.”
Fasting says, “God, You are the solution.”
When prayer and fasting are combined, something shifts. Fear no longer dictates decisions. Panic gives way to trust. Confusion gives way to clarity. What once felt impossible becomes God’s responsibility, not ours.
And this is where freedom begins.
Fasting recalibrates our priorities. It reminds us that breakthrough doesn’t come from effort alone — it comes from dependence. It re-centers our faith, sharpens our discernment, and strengthens our spiritual authority.
Jesus taught that certain breakthroughs only come through prayer and fasting. Not because God withholds answers — but because fasting positions us to receive them.
When we pray, we speak.
When we fast, we listen.
And in that space — where prayer meets fasting — God moves.
🙌 Call to Action
If you’ve been praying and still feel stuck, consider whether God is inviting you to go deeper.
Set aside time this week to pray intentionally — and choose a form of fasting that creates space for God to speak. It may be food, media, comfort, or routine. Let the hunger remind you of your dependence on Him.
Don’t rush the process.
Don’t treat it as a formula.
Stay until clarity comes.
Because some victories don’t come from trying harder —
they come from seeking deeper.
Prayer and fasting still change everything.
By Pastor Lorenzo DellaForesta