WHAT IS FASTING?
Fasting is a spiritual discipline where we refrain from certain foods for a spiritual purpose
WHY DO WE FAST?
- To humble ourselves before God (Ezra 8:21)
- For guidance and direction (Acts 13:2-3)
- For spiritual strength. Before He began His earthly, Jesus fasted for 40 days. He knew He was going to need spiritual strength to fulfill His purposes. Fasting may make us physically weak, but we will become spiritually stronger and more prepared to do God’s work.
- To seek deliverance and protection (Ezra 8:21-23)
- To gain victory (Judges 20:26-28)
- To worship God (Luke 2:37)
WHAT IS THE DANIEL FAST?
The Daniel Fast is a method of spiritual fasting based on the prophet Daniel’s experience fasting . You can discover the story of Daniel in the book of Daniel in the Old Testament. Like Daniel, we can all be troubled by something. In a time of trouble, Daniel prayed and fasted for wisdom, direction, and strength. He decided to fast the King’s rich royal foods and decided to eat vegetables and water only. Daniel fasted to remain undefiled, to repent for the sins of his people, and to draw closer to God. There are two passages in specific that the Daniel Fast is based on:
- “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.” (Daniel 1:12)
- “In those daysI, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint my self at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.” (Daniel 10:2-3)
From this experience Daniel was said to gain knowledge, wisdom, spiritual understanding, favor, and even better appearance (Daniel 1:15-20) in addition to answered prayer and spiritual insight (Daniel 10:11-12). The Daniel Fast can be 7, 10, or 21 days in length.
In fasting, the intent is to deny the flesh and be reminded of our need for God and to draw near to Him.
DAILY DEVOTIONALS
Prayer is essential during a fast. Without prayer and spiritual focus, a fast is merely a diet. To help you and encourage you with your prayer time at the beginning of your day, you will receive a daily morning devotional from Fusion Church throughout this church-wide fast. We encourage you to also start a prayer journal, spend time in worship, meditate on God’s Word, study books of the bible, etc. The daily devotionals will start on January 8th. You will also receive an invitation to Fusion’s Daniel Fast Facebook Group where you can share prayers, recipes, words of encouragement, ask for prayer, etc.
WHAT FOOD CAN YOU EAT DURING THE DANIEL FAST?
FOODS TO AVOID ON THE DANIEL FAST
- Animal products: All meat, dairy, seafood, and eggs
- Sweeteners: Agave, nectar, artificial sweeteners, brown rice syrup, brown sugar, cane juice, corn syrup, malt syrup, raw sugar, and other syrups.
- Leavened bread: Bread made with yeast.
- Refined and processed foods: Foods that contain artificial preservatives, food additives, white flour, white rice
- Deep-fried foods: All fired foods
- Solid Fats: Butter, lard, margarine, and shortening
- Chocolate
- Some beverages: Alcohol, coffee, and other caffeinated beverages
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 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 you Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16-18).
