INTRODUCTION TO THE DANIEL'S FAST

During the 21 Day Daniel’s fast (described in Daniel 1:11-20 and 10:2-3).

Dan 1:11-20 “Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water, Daniel said at the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see. The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others. God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams. When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.”

Dan 10:2-3 “When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in mourning for three whole weeks. All that time I had eaten no rich food. No meat or wine crossed my lips, and I used no fragrant lotions until those three weeks had passed.”

We should focus on obtaining maximum effectiveness in our prayer lives. A good prayer life must progress to become a great prayer life. A shotgun prayer life (hit and miss) must become a laser-focused prayer life. A self-focused prayer life must become a supportive and out-ward focussed prayer life, focussing on the needs of others. This will ensure that we will grow to be more and more effective and powerful with the help of the Holy Spirit.

There are different reasons for fasting, and the power of fasting must NEVER be underestimated. We fast to show God our humility and desire to do His will, and this is what David said about fasting in Ps 35:15, “I humble myself with fasting”. We also fast to crucify our flesh and to have victory over sin and our fleshly nature. When we fast, we suppress our fleshes most primitive desire of satisfying a pang of hunger or craving, and by doing that, we gain control over the voice and carnal desires of our flesh. I have seen on many occasions in my life that by crucifying my fleshly desires through fasting, I gain more control over my life, and I have had some great personal victories over sin. We also read in the scripture (Matt 17:18-21) how Jesus told His disciples that “this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting”. Jesus was talking about casting out a certain demon and how they couldn’t do it because of a lack of faith. When we fast, we hear the voice of the Lord so much clearer, and the Lord reveals things to us, which strengthens our faith and relationship with the Lord. We also see in the scripture (Dan 1:11-17) how Daniel and his friends looked better in appearance and how they increased in both knowledge and wisdom and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Through humbling yourself by fasting, you will grow in the power of the Lord and experience a much deeper relationship with our Lord.

When you fast, pray often and read the Bible. Fast for the right reasons and how the Lord guides you.