God has established prayer as how we receive his supernatural help. And without supernatural help, we cannot live a life worthy of the gospel. Everything that distinguishes Christians from the world in a Christ-exalting way is a work of God’s supernatural grace. And God has ordained that this grace flows to us through prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:17, pray without ceasing.
Fasting in the Bible means abstinence from food and/or drink for a specific period of time. The purpose of fasting is to earnestly seek God in prayer, to humble oneself before Him, and to align one’s heart with His will. Fasting is not a form of penance or a way to earn favor with God, but a voluntary and personal discipline that can bring rewards from God. Fasting should not be a mere ceremony but reflect one’s attitude and behavior toward God and others. Ezra 8: 21-23 21 There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. 22 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.
Intercessory prayer is the act of praying to a God on behalf of others or asking God in heaven to answer others. It is the process of standing in gap for others.