Prayer is the Most Important Part of a Proper Fast It is not merely refraining from food or an action, but it is coming before the Lord in prayer to hear the Holy Spirit speak to you and work in you. The Bible says this on when to pray, “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18). Prayer is communication with God, and it is truly the most important aspect of life. From the Garden of Eden, it has always been God’s heart to have relationship with His creation, and prayer is the vehicle of communication in which that can work. The Father knows your heart; in fact, "the Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). We can rest assured that it need not be the most stunning words ever spoken to Him; He knows what we are trying to communicate. Romans 8:26 shares He can even understand our groans into prayers. The Father desires interaction with His children, and prayer opens the door to just that.

Fasting is a powerful spiritual discipline. Through fasting and prayer, the Holy Spirit can transform your life. And the practice of fasting has strong roots in the Bible. Jesus himself spent time in fasting and prayer during his life on earth, and he expected his followers to fast as well. Most commonly, fasting is when you abstain from food or a certain type of food for a period of time. However, there are multiple ways to fast, all with the potential to help you grow spiritually.

Instead of abstaining from food altogether, you may fast from a particular type of food or even something other than food, such as social media. You might decide to fast until a certain time in the day or skip a certain meal. There are many ways to ensure you’re getting the physical nourishment you need while still enjoying the spiritual nourishment fasting and prayer offer. Fasting and prayer can also bring about more than just personal transformation. When God’s people practice fasting and prayer, God hears from heaven and can heal our lives, our churches, our communities, our nations, and our world. Fasting and prayer can even bring about revival—a change in direction.