Fasting and Prayer

We talk about the hunger that comfort can’t satisfy and why fasting becomes a doorway into real intimacy with God. We share a personal journey from fear and avoidance to Spirit-led fasting, then anchor it in Scripture so you can start wisely and with faith. 

• fasting as an expected rhythm of the believer’s life through Matthew 6 
• why fasting must be paired with prayer and the Word to carry spiritual power 
• a personal testimony of beginning with a partial fast for guidance and direction 
• a church fast that leads to a Spirit-led extension without food and the role of silence 
• different types of biblical fasting including partial fast, full fast, and supernatural fast 
• wisdom and health considerations and avoiding striving to impress God 
• fasting as humility that positions the heart to receive direction and breakthrough 
• “this kind” breakthrough and what it reveals about spiritual battles 
• a closing prayer to realign hunger toward God and trust Him to sustain 

First: Begin small, but begin. You don't have to start with nine days. Choose one day this week. Set a focus to pray over — WHETHER guidance, healing, a loved one, breakthrough — and pair your fast with prayer and the Word. 

Secondly: Share this episode with someone and consider pressing in together. 

And third, if this podcast has been feeding your spirit, take a moment to follow the show and leave a rating wherever you listen. 

You can connect with me on my website at www.awarenessunlocked.com and also on YouTube channel @AwarenessUnlockedOfficial and on all the other social media icons listed on my website. 

To continue this journey of spiritual awakening and transformation, subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss the next episode. 

Transcript

The Hunger Nothing Fills

SPEAKER_00 0:00

There is a kind of hunger that food was never meant to satisfy. We feel it late at night when the house finally goes quiet. We feel it in the middle of a crowded room. We feel it after we've gotten the thing we were sure would finally make us feel full. And somehow, the emptiness is still there. We keep reaching for more, more food, more noise, more distraction, more of everything that promises to fill us and never does. But what if the very thing we keep running from, emptiness, hunger, going without is actually a doorway? What if there's a level of intimacy with God that you can only reach when you're willing to push the plate back and say, Lord, I want you more than I want this? I used to think fasting was something people did to lose weight, or some extreme spiritual discipline reserved for pastors and prophets. I had no idea it was something God Himself invites every one of his children into. And I definitely had no idea what waited for me on the other side of my hunger. But I found out. Today I'm going to take you inside that journey. We're going to talk about why fasting paired with prayer is one of the most powerful, intimate breakthrough and how you can begin right where you are, no matter how much you love to eat. Let's step into it together.

Why Fasting Feels Impossible

SPEAKER_00 2:07

Welcome to Awareness Unlocked. I'm Stacy and Carter. This is a space dedicated to awakening souls through spiritual awareness, inspiring transformation, and guiding us to discover our true identity in Christ. Here we explore real stories, biblical truths, and spiritual reflections that remind us of one powerful truth. God is love. My prayer is that every episode draws you closer to God, fills you with hope, and awakens you to the life He created you to live. If you've been moving through season two alongside me, you know each episode has been a step on the same ladder. And if today's your first time, you've landed on a subject that can genuinely change the depth of your walk with God. Here on Awareness Unlocked, this whole season has been devoted to one pursuit, building a real, intimate relationship with the Lord. We've acknowledged Him, worship Him, surrender to Him, gotten grounded in His Word, come into alignment with Him, and last time we learned to listen and obey His voice. And obedience is exactly what carried me into the subject we're tackling today. This is episode 7, Fasting and Prayer. And I'll be honest with you, for a long time, this was one era I avoided. It intimidated me. It felt impossible. But what I discovered is that fasting joined with prayer is one of the most sacred ways we say to God, I want more of you than I want comfort. It humbles us, it sharpens our spirit, it quiets the flesh so we can finally hear and receive. And it positions us for the kind of breakthrough that, as Jesus said, only comes this way. I'm going to share with you exactly how I started, the mistake and fears I had pushed through, and the supernatural experience that left me forever changed. So let's get honest, get open, and step into it together. This

Starting Small With A Partial Fast

SPEAKER_00 4:45

is my story about fasting and prayer. There is a stretch of my childhood I genuinely cannot recall. For whatever the reason, it's just not in my memory anymore. So I can't say for certain whether I was ever around people who fasted and prayed. I'd imagine I was, since I grew up in a Christian home, but I can't say for sure. What I do remember is that in my adult life, I'd hear people talk about fasting, and honestly, I assumed it was just something they wanted to do. For weight loss, maybe, for health. I didn't connect it to God at all. Because I wasn't in the Bible. It wasn't until I began to walk with God daily that the Holy Spirit revealed something to me. Fasting is not optional. I had no idea it was something God actually asked us to do. Then I saw it for myself. In the Bible, in Matthew chapter 6, Jesus says, when you fast, and that stopped me. When? Not if, not should you ever decide to. Now I sat with that for a while because I love to eat. I genuinely could not picture myself going a single day without food, let alone several days, let alone a week. So I did what I'd learned to do with everything by then. I researched it for myself. I listened to sermons, but I didn't just take anyone's word and run with it. After all I'd been through, I'd learned to confirm truth in the book God left for us, the Bible. And that's when I discovered there are many different kinds of fasting in Scripture. I won't list all of them here. We'll get into those in the teaching segment. But my research showed me something freeing. I could start small. So in that season, I decided to fast for seven days. No meat, no delicacies, just healthy brown rice, beans, and vegetables with nothing but salt and pepper for seasoning. And let me tell you, I was born and raised in the islands, and I am all about flavor. So I truly didn't know if I'd make it through the week. But I was determined because I'd learned that fasting doesn't just draw me closer to God, though I deeply wanted more of Him. It's also a way of humbling myself before Him. And here's something important that I learned fasting and prayer go together. I prayed diligently throughout each day while I fasted, because without prayer, I'd just be dieting. The fast had to be with God and for something with him. So I set a specific focus for that week. My prayer was for guidance and direction. I prepared myself mentally. I prepared my groceries, and to my own surprise, I stayed steadfast the entire week. I finished what I set out to do. And God, He gave me the guidance and direction I was seeking. And I was so grateful because more than anything, I wanted to walk in step with Him instead of myself. I believed that obedience opened a door to something deeper. Because the next time I fasted and prayed, it was with my church community. This

The Fast That Turned Supernatural

SPEAKER_00 8:49

one wasn't for my own needs. It was for the church I'm a part of. But something in me knew I wanted to participate. Again, I eased into it. Two small meals within each 24 hours, just a light lunch and dinner. But here's where everything changed. I made it to day six, and I remember being so excited that I only had one more day left. And then that same day, I was sitting in my living room, minding my own business, watching the series The Chosen, when I heard the Holy Spirit say very clearly, go three more days of fasting and prayer, but this time without food. I was caught off guard. And my immediate response was, Lord, I'm going to die. But before I could even finish the word die, the Holy Spirit interrupted me and he said, Am I not the same spirit who sustained Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days? Surely I can sustain you for three more. I immediately apologized to him, and right there I praised him and I obeyed. I chose to trust him to sustain me, because God is not a man that he should lie. So I went three more days, and the Holy Spirit even gave me what to pray for during those days. It was for oneness with him in the Spirit. And he gave me one instruction. He told me, when you feel weak, sit with me in silence. For those three days, I only took small sips of water when my throat felt dry. Over the entire three days, I didn't even drink a full cup of water, all at my own discretion. And the most beautiful thing happened. I never left my home, and the way he sustained me was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. I had no desire to eat. None. Because the Holy Spirit removed my desire for food. So when I prepared meals for my kids, I couldn't even smell the food. I'd had my daughter come and do the taste in when it was time. And every time I grew so weak, I could barely stand, I'd go and sit in silence with him for 10, 20 minutes. And the moment I finished, I'd noticed that I regained my strength enough to carry out my duties as a mother. It was supernaturally beautiful. He was also working through my daughter. She was eight at the time. During those three days, she became attentive in a way I had never seen. She's a sweet child, but this was different. He was moving through her. And so in those days, the Holy Spirit did exactly what he said he would do. After the third day, which was really day nine of my fasting and prayer, he restored my strength once more so that I could prepare a meal for myself to eat. And I have to tell you, that was the very first time I had ever felt that close to him. The gratitude I had toward the Holy Spirit was overwhelming. I just love him so much. Those were some of my experiences with fasting and prayer. And everything I fasted and prayed about, God answered every single time. I am a living, breathing, walking testimony of the goodness of the Lord. Let's open the word together now, because the Bible goes deeper. I want you to understand what fasting truly is, the different kinds scripture describes, and how to begin in a way that's both wise and powerful. Part one.

When Jesus Says When You Fast

SPEAKER_00 13:28

Let's start where my own revelation started. In Matthew 6, verse 16 through 18, Jesus says, And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others, but by your father who is in secret, and your father who sees in secret will reward you. Catch that word again. When Jesus assumes his followers will fast, he places it right alongside giving and praying, the basic rhythm of a life with God. He doesn't command us into it like a law. He simply expects it as something his children naturally do. And notice the posture he teaches. It's a private exchange between you and God that He promises to reward. So have you been treating fasting as optional? Something for spiritual people? When Jesus actually wove it into the everyday life of every believer. Part two.

Why Prayer Makes Fasting Real

SPEAKER_00 15:08

This is the lesson I learned firsthand, and it's crucial. Fasting and prayer are partners. You cannot separate them. If you give up food but don't fill that space with prayer and the word, you haven't fasted. You've simply dieted. The power of a fast isn't in the absence of food, it's in what you replace it with. Every hunger pang becomes a call to prayer. Every craving becomes a reminder to turn your attention to Him. Isaiah 58 paints the picture of the fast God actually honors not empty ritual, but a fast joined to seeking Him, to humility, to righteousness. Verse 9 says, Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer. You shall cry, and He will say, Here I am. That's the promise. When fasting and prayer move together, God draws near. So if you fasted this week, what would you fill the empty space with? More scrolling or more of him.

Types Of Fasting In Scripture

SPEAKER_00 16:32

Part three, the many faces of fasting in scripture. I promised in my testimony that we talk about the types of fasting, because fasting is not one size fits all, and understanding the options removes so much of the fear. Let's break these down together. There's the partial fast, like I did first, and like the prophet Daniel. In Daniel 10, verse 3, he said, I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth. You give up certain foods for a set of time, a beautiful place for you to begin. Then there is the full fast, going without food entirely, relying on water for a set period of time. This is the kind many do corporately or for focused breakthrough. And last, the supernatural fast, the rarest of them all, like Moses on the mountain and Jesus in the wilderness, sustained without food, or the normal need for water by God's own power. This is not something to attempt on your own. It must be led by the Holy Spirit, the way my three-day fasts were. Now hear me clearly. Always be wise. Consider your health, talk to your doctor when needed, and never strive in your own strength. A fast is led by the Spirit, not driven by the flesh trying to impress God. So which type of fast do you sense God might be inviting you to begin? And what's been holding you back?

Humility That Positions Your Heart

SPEAKER_00 18:32

Part four. Fasting humbles us and positions us. So why does fasting carry such weight? Because it does something to us before it ever moves the hand of God. David wrote in Psalm 35, verse 13, I humbled my soul with fasting. And in Ezra 8, verse 21, Ezra proclaimed a fast so the people might humble ourselves before our God to seek from him the right way. Fasting humbles us. And fasting quietly declares, No, my spirit will lead my body, not the other way around. That's why it's positioned us so powerfully. A humbled heart is a heart God can fill, direct, and answer. I fasted for guidance, and because I had humbled myself, I was finally postured to receive the direction he'd been wanting to give. Part five.

Breakthrough That Comes This Way

SPEAKER_00 20:12

When the disciples couldn't drive out a particular spirit, Jesus told them in Matthew 17, verse 21, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. Let's focus on those two words. This kind. To you. When God calls you into something, He sustains you in it. He doesn't lead you to a fast and then abandon you to your own strength. In Matthew 4, verse 4, Jesus in his own wilderness fast declared, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. In those three days, I lived on his word and his presence more than on food and water, and I have never felt closer to him. That's the secret the world will never understand. When you empty yourself of what feeds the flesh, you make room to feast on the spirit. To close out this teaching segment, here's the final reflective question. What might you discover about God's nearness if you were willing to be hungry for Him, even just for one day?

Guided Prayer For Realigned Hunger

SPEAKER_00 23:13

Let's come into a still place together. If you can, simply open your hands and lower your guard. The posture of someone laying down their own appetites to receive something greater. Let's pray. Father, your son taught us not if, but when we fast. So today we lay down our resistance and our fear. Teach us this sacred discipline. Show us that going without is not loss, but an open door into your presence, where we have fed every craving of the flesh and starved our spirits. Forgive us. Realign our hunger, Lord. Make us hungrier for you than for anything this world sets before us. You are the same spirit who sustained Jesus in the wilderness. So we trust you to sustain us in whatever you call us into. When we are weak, draw us into the silence with you, and there restore our strength for every breakthrough that has been weighed in on a deeper pursuit. Give us the courage to seek you through fasting and prayer. Humble our hearts, sharpen our spirits, answer from heaven, and say to us, Here I am. And like you did for me, Lord, meet every person listening in a way they will never forget. Let this be the season they discover the intimacy waiting on the other side of their hunger. We love you, we worship you, we praise you, we want more of you. In your precious holy name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Practical Steps To Begin This Week

SPEAKER_00 25:24

Before we part ways today, let me leave you with a few steps to carry forward. First, begin small, but begin. You don't have to start with nine days. Choose one day this week. Set a focus to pray over, whether guidance, healing, a loved one, a breakthrough, and pair your fast with prayer and the word. Let God prove his faithfulness to you in the small, and watch your faith grow for more. Secondly, invite someone with you. Fasting alongside another believer or your church community carries a special grace. Share this episode with someone and consider pressing in together. There's strength in agreement. And third, if this podcast has been feeding your spirit, take a moment to follow the show and leave a rating wherever you listen. It helps these messages reach hungry hearts. You can connect with me on my website at awarenessunlocked.com and also on YouTube channel at AwarenessUcked Official and on all the other social media icons listed on my website. Now here's where we're going next.

Next Steps And Season Direction

SPEAKER_00 26:52

Episode eight is called Daily Pursuit of the Lord. Because fasting teaches us to seek him intensely for a season, but God is after something even greater your everyday. Next time, we're going to talk about building a daily rhythm with the Lord, what it looks like to meet him in the quiet of the morning and the stillness of the night, how a heart of gratitude changes everything, and how simple daily meditation on him can anchor your entire life. It's a rhythm that turns a season of pursuit into a lifetime of intimacy. I'll be waiting for you right here. Let your hunger lead you straight to his table. There is always more of him for those willing to seek. I love you. God loves you more. Thank you for spending this time with me on Awareness

Final Encouragement And Goodbye

SPEAKER_00 27:53

Unlocked. As we wrap up today's episode, I want to remind you, if this message touched your heart, please share it with someone who needs this message of hope. Take a moment to leave a comment or review. Your feedback not only encourages me, but also helps others discover Awareness Unlocked and join our growing community. To continue this journey of spiritual awakening and transformation, subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss the next episode. Until next time, stay aware, stay rooted in truth, and remember, God's love is always calling you into something greater. I'm your host, Stacyan Carter.