Jesus seemed to assume that prayer and fasting would be a part of the lives of his followers. With his assumptions we see again that spiritual disciplines were not just meant for the clergy or special class Christians, but for everyone serious about their relationships w/God. In January, Bridge Church is participating with others in Louisiana in 21 Day’s of Prayer and Fasting for Spiritual Awakening in our state. With that in mind, here’s some basics on fasting from one of my favorite books, Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster.

• Fasting refers to abstaining from food for spiritual purposes. It’s not a hunger strike or a form of dieting. Biblical fasting always centers on spiritual purposes.
• Fasting must forever center on God. It must be God-initiated and God-ordained.
• More than any other discipline, fasting reveals the things that controls us. We cover up what is inside us with food and other good things, but in fasting these things surface.
• In Scripture the normal means of fasting involves abstaining from all food, solid or liquid, but not from water (Luke 4:2).
• Sometimes a partial fast is described. Like Daniel, “I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth” (Daniel 10:3).

Isaiah 58 is one of the best passages on fasting in the Bible. Tom Eliff in his great book, A Passion for Prayer shares an outline with us on improper and proper motivations for fasting:

Some Options for introducing fasting into your life: As you consider fasting, before conducting an extended, lengthy complete or total fast from all food, consider your past health and current conditioning and some of you may want to consult a doctor. Consider your work. If your work is rigorous then you need food for energy so that you can give your best to your employer. A complete fast may not be for you at this point. Here are a few other options:

• One meal each day—The fast is not about only giving up food, but also includes praying during mealtime. Jesus said, “Could you not watch with me one hour?” (Matthew 26:40). It takes about an hour to prepare a meal or travel to a restaurant or get ready to eat. So this time is a perfect opportunity to pray. Those who work in hot exhausting jobs cannot fast completely because they need their strength and stamina for physical exertion. However, they can sacrifice one meal a day for the Lord.
• Two meals each day—Some people can pray for two hours each day, sacrificing two meals to the Lord.
• Eat only veggies—The Daniel Fast involves giving up meats, desserts and snacks, eating only the food that Daniel most likely ate. While the fast doesn’t give extra time to pray, it is a commitment of the heart that when joined with prayer, moves the heart of God. For more info on the Daniel Fast check out http://www.ultimatedanielfast.com/.
• Give up television—Secular people might laugh at “fasting television” or “sacrificing television” but it is a commitment to God to place loyalty to Christ first above all else. This is a spiritual choice in response to Christ, who promises, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
• Give up sports—Giving up bowling league, golfing, fishing, jogging or other activity for a season (such as 40 days) to pray during that time is a choice. It places spiritual exercise above physical exercise.“Bodily exercise profits little, but godliness is profitable for all things” (1Timothy 4:8).
• Give up pleasure reading—Beyond what you must read for your work or preparing for teaching the Word of God, pleasure reading could be turned into prayer time. You could consider laying aside reading the daily newspaper too.
• Restrict mobile phone use and text messaging—While some of these communication devices are necessary, they are serious time robbers that could be placed aside for praying.
• Facebook and other social media—These activities can consume huge chunks of time. Part of a fast could be to cease social media and use the time for prayer and intercession.
• Other—There may be something that the Holy Spirit brings to mind that you could place aside for a season while you focus on more prayer. I read about a group of young girls who did a mirror and makeup fast to remind themselves that they aren’t dependent on image or opinions of others for identity and purpose.

A Daniel Food Fast 

(taken from the 21 Day Prayer Journal, download a PDF version here, or pick up a copy this Sunday at Bridge Church)

The Daniel Food Fast is a very healthy way to eat! So health professionals will support this eating plan but might suggest a few modifications if you have health issues that need special attention. For example, pregnant and nursing mothers might get instructions to add fish, chicken and cheese into the Daniel Food Fast but otherwise stay the course. Diabetics may need to add more carbohydrates or include chicken and fish. Also, those who are especially active either through sports, bodybuilding or vocation may need to slightly alter the eating plan. I encourage you to check with your doctor . . . and by the way, being addicted to Snickers and Coke don’t count as a special need!

What is the Daniel Food Fast?  

The Daniel Food Fast is a biblically based partial fast. It is a method of fasting that men, women and young people all over the world are using as they enter into the spiritual discipline of prayer and fasting.

There are two anchoring scriptures for the Daniel Food Fast. In Daniel 1, the Prophet ate only vegetables (that would have included fruits) and drank only water. So from these scriptures we get two of the guidelines for the fast:

1. Only fruits and vegetables

2. Only water for a beverage

Then in Daniel 10, we read that the Prophet ate no meat nor any precious breads or foods and he drank no wine for 21 days. Of course, the vast majority of Baptists are total abstainers from alcoholic beverages. So from this scripture, we get a third guideline:

3. No sweeteners and no breads

Another important guideline is drawn from Jewish fasting principles, where no leaven is used during the fast.  So that’s why yeast, baking powder and the like are not allowed on the Daniel Food Fast.

Finally, with all the above puzzle pieces, we conclude that no artificial or processed foods nor any chemicals are allowed on the Daniel Food Fast.

When asked about the eating plan on the Daniel Food Fast, I often say it is a “vegan diet with even more restrictions.”

Be sure to read the ingredients on labels of prepared foods to make sure they only include Daniel Food Fast friendly ingredients.

Attached is a list of foods to include and avoid and FAQ’s about a Daniel Fast. Also, check out http://www.ultimatedanielfast.com/ for more info, recipes, and more.