Fasting & Prayer

I believe the details of this woman’s NDE account to be of such importance that I cleaned up the transcription and included it below for a slower and more careful study. (Don’t be off-put by the video thumbnail and title, which was added by the YT channel and not the woman who shared her experience. This YT channel narrates the stories of people sent to them and uses a voice generator for the audio.)
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My name is Margaret Ashworth and on March 15th, 2022, I experienced something that completely transformed my understanding of fasting, prayer, and the spiritual realm. I never thought I would be sharing this, but I believe God is calling me to reveal what I witnessed during my near-death experience.

I remember that morning perfectly. I was on my fourth day of a Biblical fast, drinking only water and spending extra time in prayer, living in a quiet suburb of Minneapolis Minnesota. I had been feeling a strong calling to draw closer to God through fasting. At 62 years old I'd fasted before, but something felt different this time. There was an unusual intensity to my prayers, a deeper connection I couldn't explain.

That Tuesday morning, I was heading to my local church for our weekly prayer meeting. The roads were clear and the sun was just beginning to rise. I remember feeling particularly light, both physically from the fasting and spiritually from the increased time spent in God's presence. As I drove down Cedar Avenue, I was quietly praying, thanking God for his faithfulness. Then everything changed. In an instant, a truck ran a red light. I remember seeing a flash of red metal, hearing the screech of brakes, and then nothing; at least nothing in the physical world. But what happened next was more real than anything I've ever experienced in my entire life. The doctors later told me I was clinically dead for 9 minutes and 42 seconds, but time didn't exist where I went. What I experienced felt like both an eternity and a single moment.

The first thing I became aware of was the absence of pain. One second I was in my car and the next I was experiencing a profound sense of peace that defies human language. But please understand this wasn't just a feeling or a dream. I was more awake and alert than I've ever been. I found myself in what I can only describe as a vast space of pure light, but it wasn't blinding. The light seemed to have substance, almost like it was alive. And in that moment, I realized something extraordinary. I could see the effects of my fasting in the spiritual realm.

This is where it gets difficult to explain with human words, but I'll do my best. I saw what looked like golden threads of light emanating from Earth, specifically from people who were fasting and praying. These threads were piercing through what appeared to be a dark dense layer that I somehow knew represented the barrier between the physical and spiritual realms. Then I heard a voice. It wasn't audible in the way we hear sounds on Earth, but it resonated through my entire being. "Daughter," the voice said, "now you will understand." Suddenly I was shown something that left me in awe. I saw how our fasting creates what I can only describe as spiritual channels or pathways. When we fast with pure hearts and true devotion to God, it's like we're participating in piercing the veil between Heaven and Earth. I saw how these channels allowed for increased spiritual activity. Both the flow of God's grace downward and our prayers upward.

I was then guided by what I knew was an angel, though it didn't look like the traditional paintings we see in churches. The angel's presence was more like a concentrated form of light and understanding. It showed me how my own fast had been affecting the spiritual realm. "Watch," the angel communicated, and suddenly I could see my previous 4 days of fasting from a spiritual perspective. Each prayer I had prayed during my fast had carried extra weight, extra authority. I saw how they had bypassed various spiritual obstacles that normally would have hindered their ascent. The angel then showed me something that deeply moved me. I saw how fasting combined with prayer created what looked like a protective shield around not just the person fasting, but their loved ones as well. It was as if the sacrifice of fasting generated a spiritual energy that God used for protection and blessing, but there was more. I was shown how fasting affects our spiritual sensitivity in the physical realm. Fasting might make us feel weaker, but in the spiritual realm, it actually heightens our spiritual senses. I saw how it was like tuning a radio to receive clearer signals. When we fast, we become more attuned to God's voice and the spiritual realm.

The angel then took me to what seemed like a different level of the spiritual realm. Here I saw countless believers throughout history who had fasted with pure hearts. Their fasting had created permanent pathways in the spirit, like deep rivers carved into spiritual bedrock. I saw Moses during his 40-day fast receiving the Ten Commandments. Jesus in the wilderness. Daniel during his times of fasting, and countless others I didn't recognize, but whose fasting had profound spiritual impact. This is why the enemy fights so hard against true fasting, the angel communicated to me. I was shown how forces of darkness actively work to discourage believers from fasting. Knowing its powerful spiritual impact, they try to distract us make us too busy, or convince us it's unnecessary in modern times.

Then came one of the most profound parts of my experience. I was shown how fasting breaks what looked like dark chains in the spiritual realm. These chains represented various forms of bondage: addictions, generational curses, and spiritual oppression. When someone fasts and prays with faith and pure motives, these chains begin to weaken and break, but here's something crucial I learned. Not all fasting carries the same spiritual weight. I was shown how fasting done for show or religious obligation had little spiritual impact, but fasting done with humility, genuine repentance, and a desire to draw closer to God, created powerful spiritual dynamics.

The angel then showed me something that particularly surprised me. I saw how corporate fasting—when groups of believers fast together—creates what looked like spiritual storms of power. These combined fasts seem to have an exponential, rather than merely additive, effect in the spiritual realm.

During this experience, I was also shown how fasting affects our spiritual authority. It was like watching a soldier being promoted in rank. Each day of sincere fasting seemed to increase the believer's spiritual authority in prayer and warfare. I saw how prayers, prayed during fasting, carried extra weight in the spiritual courts of heaven. Then I witnessed something that deeply humbled me. I saw Jesus himself interceding at the right hand of the Father. I saw how our fasting somehow participates in and partners with His ongoing ministry of intercession. It was as if our fasting created a special frequency that aligned more closely with Heaven's frequency.

The angel then showed me how fasting affects spiritual warfare. I saw believers who were fasting and they appeared to be clothed in additional spiritual armor. Their prayers during fasting were like precise spiritual weapons hitting their targets with increased accuracy and power, but I was also shown the importance of breaking fasts correctly and with wisdom. I saw how some believers diminished the spiritual benefits of their fasting by breaking it carelessly or prematurely. The angel showed me how breaking a fast should be done with prayer and thanksgiving; carefully transitioning back to normal eating while maintaining the spiritual ground gained.

One of the most beautiful things I witnessed was how fasting affects our worship. During times of fasting our worship seemed to carry a special fragrance in heaven. It was like the sacrifice of fasting added a precious ingredient to our prayers and praise making them especially pleasing to God.

I was then shown how fasting relates to divine timing. Sometimes I saw God calls us to fast because He's preparing to move in a particular way and our fasting creates the spiritual conditions needed for that movement. It's like our fasting participates in preparing the way for God's purposes. The angel showed me how fasting also affects our spiritual discernment. During fasting, it was like spiritual static got cleared away, allowing us to hear God's voice more clearly and see spiritual reality more accurately. I saw how this increased discernment often stayed with people even after their fast as long as they maintained their close walk with God.

Then I was shown something about generational impact. When we fast with pure hearts it doesn't just affect us or our present circumstances, it can actually store up spiritual benefits for future generations. I saw how some people's current spiritual breakthroughs were connected to the faithful fasting of their grandparents or even great-grandparents.

The angel then revealed how fasting creates what looked like spiritual reservoirs. These were like storehouses of spiritual provision that could be drawn upon in times of future need. I saw how people who developed a lifestyle of regular fasting had built up significant spiritual reserves that strengthened them in times of trial. I was also shown how fasting affects our spiritual inheritance as we fast. It's like we're clearing away debris from wells of spiritual inheritance, allowing those ancient springs to flow again. I saw how some people's fasting was actually restoring access to spiritual blessings that had been blocked for generations. But then came a sobering part of the revelation. I was shown how the enemy specifically targets people during fasting because he knows its power. I saw how important it is to stay under God's protection during fasting, not trying to operate in our own strength or pride.

The angel then showed me how fasting relates to spiritual breakthroughs. I saw that sometimes when we're praying for breakthroughs, and it hasn't come, fasting is like adding spiritual dynamite to our prayers, but I also saw how God's timing remains sovereign. Fasting doesn't manipulate God, it positions us to participate in what He wants to do one of the most practical things. I was shown how fasting affects our daily spiritual walk. It's like fasting creates new spiritual pathways in us making it easier to walk in the Spirit even after the fast is over. I saw how people who fasted regularly developed stronger spiritual muscles, making it easier to resist temptation and walk in obedience.

The angel then showed me how fasting impacts our spiritual atmosphere. When we fast, it's like we're cleansing the spiritual atmosphere around us making it more conducive to God's presence and work. I saw how this affected not just us, but our homes, workplaces, and areas of influence. I witnessed how fasting creates what looked like spiritual bridges. These bridges seem to connect different aspects of God's work and purposes, creating highways for his power to flow. I saw how sometimes our fasting creates connections that God uses long after our fast is over.

Then I was shown something about fasting and spiritual multiplication. When we fast with pure hearts, God often multiplies the spiritual impact beyond what we could imagine. I saw how one person's faithful fasting could affect an entire community, creating ripple effects in the spirit realm. The angel showed me how fasting relates to spiritual preparation. Sometimes God calls us to fast, not for immediate breakthrough, but to prepare us for something He knows is coming. I saw how fasting strengthened people spiritually before they even knew they would need that strength.

I was then shown how fasting affects our spiritual senses. It's like fasting fine-tunes our spiritual antenna, allowing us to pick up Heaven's frequency more clearly. I saw how people who fasted regularly, developed increased sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's leading. But perhaps most importantly, I was shown how fasting deepens our intimacy with God. It's not just about spiritual power or breakthrough, it's about drawing closer to His heart. I saw how fasting created special moments of communion with God that transformed people from the inside out.

The angel then showed me how fasting affects spiritual timing. Sometimes our fasting participates in Heaven's timetable, preparing the way for God's purposes to unfold. I saw how corporate fasting especially could shift things in the spiritual realm, preparing the way for God's movements. I witnessed how fasting impacts spiritual healing. When we fast, it's like we're creating channels for God's healing power to flow more freely. I saw how this affected both physical and emotional healing, though always according to God's wisdom and timing.

The angel showed me how fasting relates to spiritual wisdom. During fasting, it's like our spiritual eyes are cleansed, allowing us to see situations from Heaven's perspective. I saw how people received Divine strategies and solutions during times of fasting that they wouldn't have received otherwise.

Then I was shown something about fasting and spiritual warfare. When we fast, it's like we're given enhanced spiritual armor and weapons. I saw how fasting could break through spiritual strongholds that normal prayer alone hadn't been able to budge. I witnessed how fasting affects our spiritual authority. It's like fasting heightens our spiritual position in Christ, allowing us to operate with greater authority in prayer and spiritual warfare, but I also saw how crucial it was to remain humble and dependent on God during these times.

The angel showed me how fasting impacts spiritual inheritance. As we fast, it's like we're activating dormant aspects of our spiritual inheritance in Christ. I saw how some people's fasting was actually claiming territory that God had already given, but hadn't yet been fully possessed.

Then came something that deeply moved me. I saw Jesus looking at those who were fast with such love and tenderness. I understood that while fasting is powerful, it's not about earning God's love or favor, it's about positioning ourselves to receive what His love already wants to give.

As my experience drew to a close, I was given one final crucial understanding. The angel showed me that we're entering times where understanding the power of fasting will be more important than ever. I saw how God was calling his people back to biblical fasting as preparation for the days ahead.

Just before everything faded, I heard that voice again, the one that had first called me "daughter." It said, "Tell them what you've seen. The time is short and my people need to understand these truths."

The next thing I knew, I was back in my body surrounded by medical personnel. They were amazed by my recovery saying they'd never seen anything like it. I had been clinically dead for those 9 minutes and 42 seconds, but here I was completely lucid and without any brain damage. That experience changed everything for me. Now I understand why God allowed me to see what I saw. It wasn't just for me, it was for you, for all of us who want to draw closer to God and understand the true power of biblical fasting.

I want to be clear about something. This experience didn't contradict anything in scripture. Instead, it illuminated biblical truths about fasting that I had read but never fully understood. Everything I saw aligned perfectly with God's word, just revealing it from a different perspective. Since that day, my approach to fasting has completely changed. It's no longer just a religious discipline, it's a profound opportunity to participate in God's work in the spiritual realm. I've seen the fruits of this understanding in my own life and in the lives of those I've shared it with.

As I share this testimony, I pray that God gives you spiritual eyes to understand its significance for your own life. We're living in crucial times, and understanding the true power of biblical fasting isn't optional anymore. It's essential for the days ahead. Remember, what I experienced wasn't about me, it was about God revealing His truth for His people. The power isn't in the fasting itself, the power is in our God who honors the humble sincere sacrifice of His children who seek Him through biblical fasting. I'm sharing this now because I believe God wants His people to understand these truths. The spiritual realm is real and our fasting has far more impact than most of us realize.

May this testimony encourage you to approach fasting with new understanding and expectation, always keeping your heart pure and your focus on Jesus Christ. What I've shared is just a glimpse of what God showed me, but I pray it helps you understand why fasting is so much more than just going without food, it's a powerful spiritual key that God has given His people. And now more than ever we need to understand how to use it.

As part of this same YT channel, there was another video that explored the profound nature of prayer and I feel it goes along nicely with the video above: