Daniel Fast Story

"Pastor, I'm fasting." That statement did not bring the response I expected. He said, "Why are you fasting?" I had a quick answer, "Because you asked the church to fast this week." Then he said something that was simple, but profound. "When you fast, it is good to have a purpose for your fast!" I had expected appreciation and affirmation. After all, I was following the direction he had given the church. He chose to use my declaration as a teachable moment. How easy it would have been for that pastor to feel the support from his congregation and to have said, "Good for you! I'm glad you are participating; we need more young Christians to fast." Instead, he chose to mentor me and to teach me a valuable lesson. That simple exchange has motivated me always to examine why I am fasting.

This pastor's question to me could well be addressed to all those who fast. Often, people who attend a church follow the leadership's challenge for a fast, but do so without a purpose in their hearts. They know it is a good thing to do, and they want to show support. Unfortunately, the main concern when approaching a fast seems to have become, "what can I eat or not eat on this fast?" Many books already explain the food issue, but, often the most important question-- "Why are you fasting?"--goes unanswered.

Biblical fasts always had a purpose, such as in these examples:

1. Ezra fasted for direction and protection (Ezra 8).

2. Nehemiah fasted and prayed because he received bad news about his homeland (Nehemiah 1).

3. A wicked king proclaimed a fast because he was told his nation would be destroyed (Jonah 3).

4. Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast because Judah was about to be invaded (2 Chronicles 20).

5. The Jews fasted because Esther realized her people would be destroyed (Esther 4).

Daniel's fasting serves as another good example. The book of Daniel describes various times that he fasted and explains why. A close examination of Daniel's fasting reveals he approached his fasts with a great purpose in his heart.

Daniel had been reading the writings of Jeremiah. He understood that the time of the Babylonian captivity was almost over (Daniel 9:1-2). He decided to seek the Lord for understanding about this matter and about the Jewish people's returning home. Daniel was motivated to fast and pray for the future of his people. In response, God sent him a vision and a special angelic appearance (Daniel 10). Daniel had fasted and prayed for 21 days. The angel told him God had heard his petition the first day, and gave him a behind-the-scenes revelation of what had been happening for three weeks. The answer to his prayer had been delayed by spiritual warfare in the heavens. This revelation reminds us that we must have a fierce tenacity as we war against principalities and powers. The angel touched Daniel, and he was able to get on his knees and the palms of his hands (Daniel 10:10). He received a second touch that enabled him to speak (Daniel 10:16). He received a third touch that gave him strength (Daniel 10:18). The angel revealed he had been sent to disclose the future of Israel (Daniel 10:14). Daniel fasted and prayed for 21 days to understand what would happen to his people. The purpose of his fast is revealed to us. God honored his fasting and prayer, and gave him what he sought.

Our participation in a 21-day Daniel fast will, obviously, have a different purpose. Before participating in this fast, we should consider what we want God to do, thinking carefully about why we are spending 21 days to humble ourselves and seek Him. We saw some earlier examples that taught us why several people fasted. My pastor's question is still very relevant: "Why are you fasting?"

Another matter to consider in participating relates to health issues. Some people must eat to avoid a life-threatening crisis. Still others say they eat so little that doing without food is "no big deal". So the question arises, "Pastor, how can I participate in the church fast?" Testimonies have illustrated that a different method of fasting may be more beneficial for these folks. For instance, some say they feel addicted to social media, entertainment, sports, or hobbies. Such admissions reveal that these activities may be hurting them spiritually, so they have chosen to abstain from those things during the Daniel fast. Many have testified that participating in the Daniel fast has greatly helped them in their area of struggle. You will find many books and resources dedicated to the "How to Fast" subject, but this book will focus on the purpose of fasting, as well as provide you with a prayer guide for your fast.

The Daniel Fast Prayer Guide

A 21-day Daniel fast requires discipline. It also requires focus. Though we fast with a spiritual purpose, we sometimes lack focus in our daily prayers. Many who participate do not need prayer assistance. However, others welcome help to make the Daniel fast more meaningful and rewarding. The goal of this Daniel fast prayer guide is to help us maintain focus while praying. The guide has a weekly and a daily prayer emphasis. The weekly emphasis is taken from this prayer that Jesus prayed.

"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." (Matthew 6:9-13).

This lesson teaches us our prayers should be a time of worshipping God, of praying about our needs, and of interceding for others. These three lessons from Jesus will serve as our weekly emphasis. The prayer guide will begin with a week of upward focus on worship. The second week will have an inward focus, as we pray about our needs. In our final week, we will direct our focus outwardly, praying for others. So our prayers will have an upward look, an inward look, and an outward look.

The Daniel fast prayer guide is designed to assist with your daily prayers. All 21 days have an important prayer emphasis. The emphasis will help focus our daily prayers. We strongly recommend that you read the second part of this book in its entirety before you begin your Daniel fast. Doing so will make your time of fasting and prayer much more rewarding and will give you a greater understanding of the prayer guide.

For the next 21 days, the prayer guide will have specific directions for your daily prayer. These brief suggestions will help you grow in your prayer life. They are designed to be a small part of your daily prayer, serving as a source of inspiration to assist you with the Daniel fast. You will notice many scriptures that encourage kneeling to pray; but of course, the main thing is that you spend time in prayer during your fast.

WEEK ONE

This week we will focus on the first part of the prayer Jesus used to teach his disciples: "Hallowed be thy name."...