As kids, many of us imagined we could be Superman or Wonder Woman. We would conquer every villain and save the day without breaking a sweat. But as we grew older, we discovered something important: we have limits.
The same is true in our walk with Christ.
There are days when our faith feels strong and unstoppable. We boldly believe God can do anything. But there are also moments when we become painfully aware of our weaknesses. We find ourselves praying the same honest prayer spoken by a desperate father in Scripture:
“Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’” Mark 9:23-24 NKJV
What a refreshing confession! He believed, yet he knew he needed more faith. I can relate.
In this passage, the disciples had tried unsuccessfully to help a boy who was tormented by demons. They prayed. They exerted effort. They genuinely wanted to see him set free. Yet nothing happened. Later, after Jesus delivered the boy, the disciples privately asked why they had failed.
Jesus answered that “this kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”
In other words, prayer and fasting should be a regular discipline for every serious believer.
When we work in our garden, we often use a fertilizer called Miracle-Gro. It accelerates growth and helps flowers become larger, healthier, and more vibrant. Fasting works much the same way in our spiritual lives. As we pray, read God’s Word, attend church, and share our faith, occasional fasting acts like spiritual Miracle-Gro. It strengthens our focus, deepens our dependence on God, and often accelerates what He is doing in and through us.
Fasting doesn’t earn God’s favor. Rather, it positions our hearts to hear Him more clearly and follow Him more closely.
Some Bible versions omit part of this passage, but the principle remains throughout Scripture: things often happen when God’s people fast and pray that do not happen when they don’t.
Just read Isaiah 58. When fasting is done with the right heart:
- Bondages are broken.
- Oppression is lifted.
- Compassion is restored.
- Bodies are strengthened.
- The hungry are fed.
- The hurting are helped.
“Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.” Isaiah 58:10 NLT
Biblical fasting is not merely about skipping meals. It’s about drawing closer to God and becoming more aware of the needs of others. It teaches us compassion. It reminds us that many people live with hunger every day. And it moves us to do something about it.
So the next time your stomach cries, “Feed me!” let your spirit answer, “Today we’re feasting on something even better—the presence of God.”