CHAPTER 1

Preparation and Purpose

READ IN The Daniel Fast:

• Chapter 1 ("Who Is the Daniel Fast Blogger?")

• Chapter 2 ("Dusting Off an Ancient Spiritual Discipline")

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Review food list, recipes, and meal plans

GETTING STARTED

• Why have you decided to participate in the Daniel Fast?

• Have you ever fasted before? If so, what challengesand rewards did you experience? If not, what are someanticipations or concerns you have about embarking on theDaniel Fast?

• Fasting is known as a "spiritual discipline." What does thatphrase mean to you?

• What questions do you have about the fast? (Don't try toanswer them all now, but write down any questions and comeback to them at the end of the session.)

CORE TRUTHS: DEFINING YOUR PURPOSE

The better you prepare for the Daniel Fast, the better your experiencewill be. During this week of planning and preparation beforeyou begin the fast, you will accomplish the following practical steps:

• Decide what you will and will not eat on your Daniel Fast.

• Plan your meals for Week 1.

• Shop for and prepare some of the make-ahead meals forWeek 1 of the Daniel Fast.

While much of this week's preparation is focused on food, you'llfind the key to a successful fast actually lies much deeper. Here is themost crucial thing you will do this week:

• Ask God to speak to you about your purpose for the DanielFast, and invite Him to show you His purpose for your life.

When it comes to fasting, a well-established purpose or goal maybe the most important thing to get you started on the right trackand help you stay there. Your purpose is what will carry you throughwhen your body (or mind) shouts, "Eat!" That's why it's importantfor your purpose to be personally meaningful. If your goal is not significantenough and compelling to you, it's easy to be tempted to quitor cheat when the going gets tough. But a targeted purpose can carryyou through. Here's the simple truth: The more committed you areto your goal or purpose, the more successful you will be on your fast.

Take time during this session to ask God to show you a compellingpurpose or goal for your Daniel Fast.

SETTING THE SCENE

Read Daniel 1:5-16 and 10:2-3 and reflect on the experiences of theprophet Daniel upon which we base our fast.

The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from hisown kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and thenthey would enter the royal service.

6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of theyoung men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 The chief of staffrenamed them with these Babylonian names:

Daniel was called Belteshazzar.

Hananiah was called Shadrach.

Mishael was called Meshach.

Azariah was called Abednego.

15 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friendslooked healthier and better nourished than the young men whohad been eating the food assigned by the king. 16 So after that,the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food andwine provided for the others.

* * *

When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in mourningfor three whole weeks. 3 All that time I had eaten no rich food.No meat or wine crossed my lips, and I used no fragrant lotionsuntil those three weeks had passed.

1. What do these passages show us about obedience to God—andGod's provision for us?

2. How did Daniel's relationship with God inform his decisionto request a different diet than the one provided by theking? How does your own desire for a deeper relationshipwith God inspire you to pursue integrity, boldness, andfaithfulness?

3. Daniel had a clear, specific purpose in fasting. What doesthis tell us about the importance of being intentional aboutour motives and goals as we fast?

4. What evidence do you see in these passages that God canuse our time of fasting to speak and make Himself real to us?What can you do to prepare yourself to listen to what Godmay want to say to you during your fast?

POINT TO PONDER

"Even though you can eat during the Daniel Fast, it is no less effectivethan a complete fast. The power in fasting has less to do withfood than with setting yourself apart for a specific period of time tofocus more on the Lord, prayer, and worship. In other words, thepower of fasting is found when you consecrate yourself to the Lordand discipline yourself to focus on Him. That's how your spiritualexperience is enhanced." (The Daniel Fast, Chapter 2)

DIGGING IN

Read Psalm 139, Jeremiah 29:11, and James 1:2-5. As you begin todefine your purpose for doing the Daniel Fast, what do these versesreveal about God's investment in your life?

Here are some suggestions you may find helpful in determining thepurpose for your fast:

1. Ask God to show you what your purpose should be. Afteryou have prayed, be attentive to how the Holy Spirit mightanswer you. For example, over the next few days, He maybring some issues or relationships to mind—or you mayfind yourself in a situation or a conversation that pointsyou toward a compelling purpose for your fast. One thingis for certain:...