5 Benefits of Fasting with Prayer

Fasting with prayer has been one of the most life changing tools of my spiritual life. As a young man I began to lean into the grace of fasting and I can confidently say that the Lord has used it to bring spiritual benefits in my life. I want to share five benefits that we can experience through fasting and prayer. I’m sure there are dozens, but these are areas I’ve seen God move in my life through fasting and prayer. 

1)    Humility 

“I humbled myself with fasting and prayer” (Psalm 35:13). David explained that fasting was an intentional way that He humbled himself before the Lord. Fasting isn’t a badge of spiritual pride; it’s a statement of our great need for God. It’s through fasting that we declare to all around us, “I need God so much, that it’s better for me to not eat, so that I can become more vulnerable to His work in my life.” Fasting is a very practical way to humble ourselves before the Lord.

2)    Spiritual Hunger 

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.” (Mat 5:6) Fasting is a practical way to put your spiritual hunger on display to the Lord. When we fast we say to the Lord, “I want you even more than I want food.” He promises to fill the hungry with good things. Fasting is an obvious way to express your spiritual hunger. 

3)    Voluntary Weakness 

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12:9-10). The Lord made it clear to Paul that human weakness was a doorway to the grace and power of God. Fasting is a way to voluntarily put ourselves in a place of weakness before the Lord that we may invoke His grace and power to flow to and through us. 

4)    Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit

“Then your light shall break forth like the morning…” (Isa 58:8) When we fast we turn down the voice of our flesh so that we can hear more clearly the voice of the Holy Spirit. The scripture promises “light shall break forth” in our lives when we fast according to the Lord’s design and desire. Light is the spirit of revelation. We don’t earn it through fasting, we simply become more susceptible to the Holy Spirit’s voice and influence. 

5)    Increase Holy Spirit authority and breakthrough 

“This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (Mar 9:29). Through fasting we put ourselves in the way of increased Holy Spirit activity and authority. When the disciples couldn’t cast a demon out of a young boy they asked Jesus, why? He was clear, fasting and prayer engages you with the authority of the Holy Spirit in an accelerated way that brings breakthrough and deliverance. Certain spiritual battles require prayer and fasting to secure the victory.

I want to encourage you to lean into the grace of fasting and prayer and ask the Lord to release these benefits in your life. I know God wants to move powerfully in and through you and fasting is a key to His manifestation!