Resetting the place of the Fasting in our lives.

The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.

Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table.

But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”

Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus. —Daniel 1: 5-21

Life Application, Daniel Challenge:

Start a Daniel Fast tomorrow. Eat only vegetables and water (verse 12) for 10 days (verse 14).

Spend 10 days reading & studying the book of Daniel. Take notes, write down questions or revelations God gives you during this time and send them to:
Send to: Pastor Adam, adam@gracechapelzeeland.com

Fasting Tips:

#1 Determine the reason (WHY) for fasting.
- You need to have a cause or reason, or you will give in. Is it Spiritual renewal? Guidance? Healing? Discernment? Kids?

#2 Determine your commitment and write down what you’re doing.
There is something that psychologically happens when we write down our goals. People that write down their goals are almost twice as likely to accomplish them!

Write down:
- The reason (the why behind your fast).
- How long it will last? (1 meal, one day, one meal a day, X hours a day, 21 days)
- How do you hope to see God through this fast?
- What physical or social activities you will restrict?
- Write down the commitment to replace the time you were doing the thing you’re giving up with time with God praying, reading your Bible, serving, etc.

#3 Prepare Spiritually
- Fasting helps us release strongholds in our lives. Write down those strongholds or sins you want to break. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
- Accept God’s forgiveness of those sins (1 John 1:9)
- Surrender your life fully to Jesus (Romans 12:1-2)
- Pray & read your Bible.

#4 Prepare Physically
- If doing a food fast make sure to consult your physician first. Never fast prescriptions without talking with a doctor. Some people cannot fast without medical supervision.
- If fasting food, before the fast start eating smaller portions. Avoid high fat and sugary foods. Eat more raw fruit and vegetables the two days before you start fasting.
- Turn off the things that hinder you connecting with God.
- Once fasting limit exercise and rest more.
- Prepare for headaches, crankiness, anxiety, hunger pains, dizziness, caffeine and sugar withdrawals, etc. Increasing liquid intake can help with many pains.

#5 Begin Fasting
- Replace the time you spent doing the thing you gave up with praying, reading your Bible, serving, etc.
- Re-visit your commitments as often as you need to remember why you are fasting.
- Fill the void you feel with God.
- The first 2-3 days are the hardest! Push through!
- Begin each day in praise and worship. Set the tone for your day; don’t let your body set the tone.
- Invite the Holy Spirit to work in you.
- Invite God to change you. Ask God to show you how you can impact your community, your family, your church, etc.
- Pray for Jesus to give you His vision for your life and the power to live it.

#6 Ending the fast
- Longer fasts need to end gradually. Do not go from no food to White Castle or you will get sick. Do not go from no TV to an all-day TV marathon.
- End the fast celebrating what God has done in your life through the fast. If your prayers have not been answered, maybe it is not time to end your fast.

Fasting Examples:

Christian Book stores have numerous fasting plans / books you can buy if you need help.
Water Only / Nothing: Eat and drink nothing or water only for a period of time. This could mean you give up lunches for a week. It could mean going to water only for a day or more. (Exodus 34:28, 1 Kings 19:8, Ezra 10:6, Esther 4:16, Luke 4:1-2, Acts 9:9, Acts 10:30)
Daniel Fast: Eat only fruits, vegetables, nuts/grains. (Daniel 1:11-21, 9, 10:3)
Juice Fast: Drinking juices only
Screen Fast: Fast all screens when not needed for work / school. No TV, computer, tablet, phone, video games, etc.
Parenting Fast: Fast one day per child. Pray for them, their spouse, children, future, job, etc.
1 Meal Fast: Fast one meal a day for a period of time.
1 Day Fast: Fast all food / drinks except for water, for one day.
Sugar Fast: Fast all sugars. This means no processed foods with sugars or drinks with sugar.
Relationship Fast: Dedicate a period of your life to focus on God and not the opposite sex.
Book Fast: Read only the Bible for a period and no other books.
Diabetic Fast: Actually follow your diabetic diet.

Other fasting Scriptures: Luke 2:37, 2 Corinthians 11:27, Acts 13:2, Acts 14:23, Matthew 3:4.