Prayer, Fasting and Unbelief

Breakthrough for Others: Sometimes God initiates a fast when He's about to do something significant for someone we are connected to. The spiritual realm responds to fasting in ways we can't fully comprehend. When we fast and pray, mountains move, chains break, and hearts open to the Gospel.

Driving Out the Unbelief
Perhaps the most powerful reward of fasting is found in Matthew 17. A desperate father brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus' disciples, but they couldn't help him. When Jesus arrived, He rebuked the demon, and the boy was instantly healed.

The disciples were perplexed. "Why couldn't we cast it out?" they asked.
Jesus' answer is sobering: "Because of your unbelief."

He went on to explain that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. It doesn't take massive faith to heal the sick or cast out demons. But when unbelief overshadows even a small measure of faith, it hinders us from operating in Christ's authority. Then Jesus said something crucial: "However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."
For years, I believed Jesus was referring to a particular type of demon. But as I looked closer at this text I saw He was talking about unbelief itself. This kind of unbelief—the kind that paralyzes faith and keeps us from walking in God's power—is driven out through prayer and fasting.

What Is Unbelief?
The Greek word translated as "faithless" is apistos, meaning disbelieving, untrustworthy, or unbeliever. It's possible to be a believer in Jesus yet live as an unbeliever when it comes to His promises, His Word, and His power.

How many church attenders doubt God's willingness to heal? How many Christians live in constant fear and anxiety, not trusting God's provision? How many believers remain bound by the very things Jesus died to set them free from?

Jesus called His disciples a "faithless and perverse generation" because they couldn't set the boy free. God's heart hasn't changed. He's serious about His people walking in faith, operating in His authority, and setting captives free. He didn't save us just to attend church services—He called us to be His disciples, co-laborers with Him in bringing His Kingdom to earth.

Protecting Your Faith
Unbelief doesn't just appear overnight. It's cultivated through what we allow into our minds and hearts. Every word we hear, every image we see, every piece of information we consume is a seed being planted. It either produces life or death, faith or fear. This is why fasting from social media during a season of prayer and fasting can be so powerful. Much of what fills our news feeds doesn't feed our faith—it feeds doubt, comparison, fear, and anxiety. When we turn off those voices and tune into God's voice alone, something shifts.

Positioned for Divine Appointments
When we're fasting and seeking God, we become more sensitive to His leading. Recently, a pastor friend and I met for lunch during a fast. We sensed God wanted to do something. Our waitress overheard us talking about ministry, and when she brought our check, she asked if we were ministers. Tears were already in her eyes—the Holy Spirit had been drawing her all morning.

She confessed that God had been dealing with her, that she'd been worshiping and seeking Him that very morning. Right there at work, she surrendered her life to Christ.
Like the woman at the well who encountered Jesus, she was searching for God but didn't know how to find Him. And God ordered the steps of two fasting believers to be in the right place at the right time.

The Invitation
Fasting isn't about proving how spiritual we are or earning God's favor. It's about positioning ourselves to receive what He wants to give us, to hear what He wants to say, and to be used how He wants to use us. As you seek God through prayer and fasting, pray for those you love who need salvation. Ask God to order your steps and make you sensitive to divine appointments. The rewards are waiting. The Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.