Upwards Church

Special thanks to Shannon Kaiser and Rowena Speight for their influence and testimony about this type of fast!

What is the Daniel Fast? 

The Daniel Fast is a biblically based partial fast. It is a method of fasting that men, women and young people all over the world use (and have for centuries) as they enter into the spiritual discipline of prayer and fasting.

There are two anchoring scriptures for the Daniel Fast. In Daniel 1 the Prophet ate only vegetables (that would have included fruits) and drank only water. So from these scriptures we get two of the guidelines for the fast:

1. Only fruits and vegetables
2. Only water for a beverage

Then in Daniel 10 we read that the Prophet ate no meat nor any precious breads or foods and he drank no wine for 21 days. So from this scripture, we get a third guideline:

3. No sweeteners and no breads

Another important guideline is drawn from Jewish fasting principles, where no leaven is used during the fast.  So that’s why yeast, baking powder and the like are not allowed on the Daniel Fast.

Finally, with all the above puzzle pieces, we conclude that no artificial or processed foods nor any chemicals are allowed on the Daniel Fast.

What Can I Expect?

The Bible teaches us that we are body, mind and spirit.  The Daniel Fast affects all three parts of us as we enter into a period of time for focused prayer and fasting.

The Body – Certainly our bodies are effected as our diet is changed, for some in very dramatic ways, during the Daniel Fast. Many men and women experience detoxing from caffeine, chemicals and sugar. The symptoms are most often headaches, leg cramps, fatigue and malaise.

Most people lose weight during the Daniel Fast. And many report healings from diabetes, allergies, arthritis and cancer. 

The Heart and Mind – Our emotions will also be greatly impacted during the Daniel Fast.  We will we experience cravings, frustration, anger as well as happiness, peace and joy.

During the Daniel Fast, your mind and body may very well rebel against the dramatic change in your diet. Experiencing and winning this battle over the flesh is often one of the most powerful lessons of the Daniel Fast.

The Spirit – Our spirit is that born-again part of us that surrenders to God and then abides with the Father and the Son. Our spirit is filled with the Holy Spirit when we yield to Him. During the Daniel Fast, we want to put our spirit in charge of the other two parts of us. When our flesh is acting out with a craving, we take control of it with our spirit (just as a parent takes control of a rebellious child).

Fasting is always coupled with a spiritual goal. So during this time of fasting, you will want to focus on prayer, study and meditation.

 An important question to ask myself . . . 

During your Daniel Fast you will have many times when you might want to “stretch the rules” a little bit. For example, even though the guidelines say we are to drink only water, you conclude that coffee or tea is a vegetable with water and therefore you will go ahead and drink tea or coffee during the Daniel Fast.

Learn a powerful spiritual lesson by asking yourself (examining your heart) the question, “Why do I want these?”

The answer will most likely be, “Well I just want them. I can’t drink only water. I have to have something else.”

The Daniel Fast teaches us to deny our “selves” and instead put our spirit in control over our bodies. As you plan your meals and eat your food, keep in mind that the definition of a fast is to deny food for a spiritual purpose.

What if I have health issues?

Fasting should never bring harm to the body. And if you have concerns, be sure to consult your health professional before going on the Daniel Fast or making any major dietary change.

The Daniel Fast is a very healthy way to eat.  It is a “vegan diet with even more restrictions.” So health professionals will support this eating plan, but might suggest a few modifications if you have health issues that need special attention.

Need Recipes?

Check out:  http://daniel-fast.com/recipes.html

Have more questions?  Go to http://daniel-fast.com/faq.html

If you would like to join us in fasting (in any form) prior to Easter,  just write “fast” on your Connection Card on Sunday.  You can also write a comment below.  You will be added to our growing list and I will be praying for you!  Darrell

www.ridgefellowship.com

Source:

http://daniel-fast.com/about.html

Would you like to fast?  Have you tried it?  If you would like to begin or continue this spiritual discipline, here’s a checklist to follow that will make your time with the Lord more meaningful and spiritually rewarding.

1.       Why am I Fasting?

Is it for spiritual renewal, for guidance, for healing, for the resolution of problems, for special grace to handle a difficult situation? Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His leading and objectives for your prayer fast. This will enable you to pray more specifically and strategically.

2. What type of Fast?

Pray about the kind of fast you should undertake. Jesus implied that all of His followers should fast (Matthew 6:16-18; 9:14,15) For Him it was a matter of when believers would fast, not if they would do it. Before you fast, decide the following up front:

• How long you will fast – one meal, one day, a week, several weeks, forty days (Beginners should start slowly, building up to longer fasts.)
• What is the type of fast God wants you to undertake:
• Absolute fast:  no food or water for a period of time
• Normal fast:  only water, but no food or other drink
• Partial or Liquid fast:  liquids, juices, etc
• Easter fast:  like Lent, fasting or giving up something in the weeks leading up to Easter
• Media/Technology:  TV, radio, Facebook, telephone, etc.
• How much time will you devote to prayer and time with God?

Making these commitments ahead of time will help you sustain your fast when physical temptations and life’s pressures tempt you to abandon it.

3.       Am I Ready Physically?

Fasting requires reasonable precautions. Consult your physician first, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic ailment. Some persons should never fast without professional supervision.

Physical preparation makes the drastic change in your eating routine a little easier so that you can turn your full attention to the Lord in prayer.

• Do not rush into your fast.
• Prepare your body. Eat healthier meals before starting a fast.

4.  Am I Prepared Spiritually?

The very foundation of fasting and prayer is to seek God. Here are several things you can do to prepare your heart:

•  Begin your time of fasting and prayer with an expectant heart (Hebrews 11:6).
• Plan to listen.  When you run out of things to pray for, listen to God’s voice.
• Confess every sin that the Holy Spirit calls to your remembrance and accept God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9).
• Surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ; refuse to obey your worldly nature (Romans 12:1,2).
• Do not underestimate spiritual opposition. Satan sometimes intensifies the natural battle between body and spirit (Galatians 5:16,17).

5.      While Fasting

Your time of fasting and prayer has come. You are abstaining from all solid foods and have begun to seek the Lord. Here are some helpful suggestions to consider:

• Prepare yourself for temporary mental discomforts, such as impatience, crankiness, and anxiety.
• Limit your activity.
• Rest as much as your schedule will permit.
• Expect some physical discomforts.. You may have fleeting hunger pains, dizziness, or the “blahs.” Withdrawal from caffeine and sugar may cause headaches. Physical annoyances may also include weakness, tiredness, or sleeplessness.

 Tips on Liquid/Juice Fasting:

• Drinking fruit juice will decrease your hunger pains and give you some natural sugar energy. The taste and lift will motivate and strengthen you to continue.
• Mix acidic juices (orange and tomato) with water for your stomach’s sake.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks. And avoid chewing gum or mints, even if your breath is bad. They stimulate digestive action in your stomach.

 6.      Make a Schedule

For maximum spiritual benefit, set aside ample time to be alone with the Lord.  The more time you spend with Him, the more meaningful your fast will be.

Morning

• Read and meditate on God’s Word
• Invite God to use you. Ask Him to show you how to influence your world, your family, your church, your community, your country, and beyond.
• Pray for His vision for your life and empowerment to do His will.

 Noon

•  Return to prayer and God’s Word.
• Take a short prayer walk.

 Evening

•  Avoid television or any other distraction that may dampen your spiritual focus.
• Repeat any of the above.

 7.      End  My Fast Gradually

Begin eating gradually.  If you end your fast gradually, the beneficial physical and spiritual effects will result in continued good health.

Here are some suggestions to help you end your fast properly:

• Break an extended water fast with fruit such as watermelon.
• Liquid fasts are not as hard on the body, but avoid overly spicy, fatty or sugary foods right after a liquid fast.

8.      Expect Results

If you sincerely humble yourself before the Lord, repent, pray, and seek God’s face; if you consistently meditate on His Word, you will experience a heightened awareness of His presence (John 14:21). The Lord will give you fresh, new spiritual insights. Your confidence and faith in God will be strengthened. You will feel mentally, spiritually, and physically refreshed. You will see answers to your prayers.

A single fast, however, is not a spiritual cure-all.  Just as we need to seek God daily and live under the Power of the Holy Spirit daily, we also need new times of fasting before God. A 24-hour fast each week has been greatly rewarding to many Christ followers.

It takes time to build your spiritual fasting muscles. If you fail to make it through your first fast, do not be discouraged. You may have tried to fast too long the first time out, or your may need to strengthen your understanding and resolve. As soon as possible, undertake another fast until you do succeed. God will honor you for your faithfulness.

I encourage you to join me in fasting and prayer again and again until we truly experience revival in our homes, our church, our nation, and throughout the world.

Darrell

www.ridgefellowship.com

Sources and for further reading:

http://www.creatingfutures.net/fasting.htm

http://www.ccci.org/training-and-growth/devotional-life/7-steps-to-fasting/index.htm

As a church we will observe a time of fasting to prepare ourselves for Easter.  Here is a general overview of fasting:

What is fasting?  Abstaining from something, usually food, for spiritual purposes

 What does the Bible say?

• Biblical examples:  Moses (Exodus 34:28; Deut. 9:9,18), David (2 Samuel 12:16), Elijah (1 Kings 19:8), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:4); Esther (Esther 4:16), Daniel (Daniel 1:12), Anna (Luke 2:37), Paul (Acts 14:23), Jesus (Matthew 4:1-2), the early church (13:2).
• Jesus placed fasting on the same level as financial giving and prayer (Matthew 6:1-18).
• Jesus said that there is a time for fasting (Matthew 9:15).
• Paul says we should give ourselves at times to prayer and fasting (1 Corinthians 7:5).

 What is the purpose of fasting?

• The primary purpose of fasting is to focus on God and to center our attention on Him.  In doing so, we glorify God (Zechariah 7:5).
• Outer fasting is to lead to inner prayer, worship, and devotion.  We “fast on food so we can feast on God.”
• Fasting is not for personal glory or any other selfish motives (Matthew 6:16-18).
• Secondary purposes of fasting:  fasting can reveal non-essential things that control us and take precedence in our lives (1 Corinthians 6:12); fasting can increase the effectiveness of prayer (2 Samuel 12:16); fasting can bring guidance from God in decisions (Acts 14:23);  fasting can bring revelations (Acts 13:2); fasting can help our physical wellbeing (Daniel 1:12); fasting can aid in concentration; fasting can help bring deliverance for those who are in bondage.   But these benefits come only when fasting is our attempt to diligently seek God.

What are the different types of fasting?

1. Absolute fast:  no food or water for a period of time (Exodus 34:28; Esther 4:16)
2. Normal fast:  only water, but no food or other drink (Nehemiah 1:4)
3. Partial fast:  usually only water, juices, and sometimes fruit (Daniel 1:12)
4. Lent fast:  giving up something specific for the duration of Lent (Ash Wednesday – Easter Sunday)
5. Other things to fast from:  people, media, telephone, certain activities/habits, etc.

We will fast in one of the ways listed above, once each week until Easter on April 8th.   Most of our church will join in a fast on Good Friday, April 6th.

If you would like to join us you can comment below or write fast on your Connection Card on Sunday.  I am praying for you.  God is going to do great things.

Darrell

For more about The Ridge Fellowship, go to  www.ridgefellowship.com

Source: Developed from Nelson Searcy Coaching http://www.churchleaderinsights.com