Begins January 9 – January 29
Welcome to everything you need to know about the Daniel Fast
Questions you need to know the answers to before you start the Daniel Fast:
What is a fast? In the Bible fasting is about food. It’s about restricting all or some foods for a spiritual purpose. In addition to restricting or changing our eating habits, fasting always has to do with our spiritual life. Without that aspect, it’s just a diet. You can and will lose weight from a fast, but this should not be your primary or only goal.
Why do we fast? Throughout Scripture, we find numerous men and women entering into times of fasting: Job, Jonah, Esther, Isaiah, David, Jeremiah, Daniel, Joel, John the Baptist, Jesus, John and Paul. Fasting is interwoven throughout the Bible as a normal and acceptable practice in our faith. It’s not a rule born out of the church doctrine or tradition. Rather, as many men and women are discovering today, fasting is a tool created by the Father to help bring His Children into closer communication and relationship with Him.
What is the purpose of the Daniel Fast?
The Daniel Fast is an opportunity for you to draw closer to God through fervent, focused prayer. It involves a 21-day commitment to a partial fast, which means you restrict commonly enjoyed foods as an act of worship and consecration to the Lord. The Daniel Fast is not a diet, although some people do lose weight as they make healthier food choices. The Daniel Fast is a unique, life-changing experience. Participating in the Daniel Fast can result in many wonderful spiritual and physical benefits.
During the fast we need to go to God in prayer listening for Him by meditating on his Word and asking the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of concern that during the course of your fast you would let the Father
provide intervention and direction for your life. The power of fasting has less to do with food than with setting yourself apart for a specific period of time to focus more on the Lord, prayer, and worship. In other words, the power of fasting is found when you consecrate yourself to the Lord and discipline yourself to focus on Him. That’s how your spiritual experience is enhanced through fasting.
The Daniel Food List:
- All vegetables and fruits fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned.(Tip: the more color the better – for example green leafy vegetables such as Spinach, Romaine, Kale contain iron).
- All nuts and seeds. Nut butters such as peanut butter and tahini (sesame seed paste) may be included. (Tip: Nuts have a higher fat content, which satisfies hunger pangs, so if you are feeling hungry grab a handful of mixed nuts to take the edge off).
- All legumes canned or dried. Legumes include but are not limited to black beans, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, white beans, etc. (Tip: Learn to love humus (chickpeas). It is a great snack with celery and carrots. Legumes are the major way you will replace essential vitamins and minerals such as iron, so you must consume these daily).
- All quality oils such as olive oil, canola, coconut, peanut, and sesame. (Tip: use a mixture of olive oil and vinegar on mixed vegetables, legumes and other cooked vegetables for lunch or dinner).
- All water be creative and flavor with natural flavors.
- All Soy foods such as tofu, TVP (textured veg protein) and other soy products (Tip: mixing tofu in with other vegetables increases the protein content of your meals and gives them flavor).
- Condiments look for fresh herbs and spices when possible (Tip: avoid too much garlic. Your friends and family will appreciate that. Spices like fresh ginger help with digestion)
Foods Not Approved for the Daniel Fast
– Alcohol
– Added sugars: any foods with added sugar are prohibited, agave, artificial sweeteners, brown sugar, cane juice, corn syrup, sugar, molasses, etc.
– Meat: beef, bison, chicken, goat, lamb, pork, turkey, fish
– Dairy: butter, cheese, cream, milk, yogurt
– Eggs are prohibited
– Yeast: this includes all leavened bread
– Refined grains: white rice, white flour
– Processed food: any food with artificial flavorings, colorings, chemicals, additives, and preservatives are prohibited
– Chocolate: milk chocolate, semi-sweet, dark, syrup, cacao
– Caffeinated drinks