The Daniel Fast Daily Devotional for Lent

MY GIFT TO YOU!

Announcing the release of The Daniel Fast Daily Devotional for Lent which is a Kindle book and available through Amazon for FREE through February 17th.

ASH WEDNESDAY – Today is Ash Wednesday. Lent will start at sunset tonight (February 13th) and continue until the celebration of Resurrection Sunday (March 31).

Lent is a powerful time of prayer and fasting when millions of believers focus on Jesus and His life and ministry. It’s a time of personal reflection and examination. It’s a time of growth and drawing closer to the Lord.

Lent is a season for denominations that follow the Church Calendar (Liturgical Calendar), including Episcopalians, Lutherans, Methodists, Roman Catholics, Presbyterians and some Reformed Churches. Lent is also observed by a growing number of individuals who want to enter into an extended period of prayer and fasting.

During the Lenten Season, there are 40 days of fasting. These fasting days commemorate the 40 days following Jesus’s baptism that He spent fasting in the desert before starting His public ministry. The fast is “paused” on Sundays as believers celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and acknowledge that He is alive today!

Balance for Your Daniel Fast

The Daniel Fast is a powerful method of fasting! I believe it’s bringing hundreds of thousands of men and women into the spiritual discipline of prayer and fasting since it’s a partial fast and some foods can be eaten. Many people would not be able to fulfill the demands of their daily obligations if they were to go without food for 21 days. But the Daniel Fast allowed us to have some foods while others are restricted.

The key is to keep all things in balance. We are fasting. The definition of a spiritual fast is to restrict food for a spiritual purpose. So we want to keep that in mind. Just because we can eat food doesn’t mean we want to abandon the restrictive part of the discipline.

On the Daniel Fast we can have hearty and nourishing foods. We don’t necessarily have to “go hungry.” However, we also don’t want to go to the extreme and figure out how we can create foods that continue to feed our cravings.

The Daniel Fast is amazing as it affect the whole person – spirit, soul and body. And part of fasting is putting our flesh in submission as we come under the Spirit of God and allow Him to reign in our lives.

Again, I call all of us to balance. Yes, it’s okay to prepare meals that are pleasant, filling and nutritious. That’s what God wants for us all the time. But we need to institute balance by not catering to the flesh.

We gain life-changing lessons while we’re fasting. Developing the fruit of the spirit of self-control is one of the most precious lessons we can receive. Fasting gives us the opportunity to examine our hearts and to make sure our motives are aligned with the men and women of God we want to be – submitted to Him and walking in His ways.

Prepare for the New Year Fast

I receive thousands of emails from men and women at this time of year as they share with me their experiences of the Daniel Fast. Most of them are a joy to read as the writers tell me of their amazing blessings, answered prayer and closeness with God.

But there are also some that are sad. They are those from people who started the Daniel Fast with great intentions, but then stopped the fast because the withdrawals from caffeine or sugar were too extreme or because they gave way to temptations for Big Macs or Diet Pepsi’s.

They feel defeated, down and wonder how to get back into God’s graces after their “failure.”

First, I tell them that Jesus has already provided the means to forgive them for giving into temptations. I encourage them to begin the fast again . . . but this time to prepare their spirits, souls and bodies for the fast.

In the same way that you would prepare yourself for a long backpack trip, you want to be sure to prepare yourself for your spiritual journey of extended prayer and fasting. Taper off caffeine, sugar and processed foods so that your body is clean when you start the fast and therefore you avoid the painful withdrawals.

Learn about the Daniel Fast and about the discipline of spiritual fasting. The Daniel Fast book was written and published for the sole reason to help men and women be successful on their Daniel Fast.

You also want to pray about the fast and invite the Holy Spirit to prepare your heart so you’ll look forward to the experience and so you can enter the fast with joy and anticipation.

Many performance experts say that preparation accounts for 80 percent of one’s success. So be sure to prepare for your fast and allow the Lord to fulfill all the good He wants to shower over you during this amazing experience.

Why No Herbal Tea or 100% Juice!

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive about the Daniel Fast concerns herbal tea. People have a hard time understanding why they can’t have it on the fast, especially if it’s caffeine-free and organic. The same question is asked about fruit and vegetable juice.

The answer is really quite simple and it’s found in Daniel 1:12 where the Prophet’s words are recorded:

“Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.”

This is the anchor text that says we drink only water on the Daniel Fast. Tea and juice aren’t off the list because they are bad for you. They are off the list because there is no room for juice or tea in “drink only water.”

I hope this helps solve some of the confusion as to why  no other beverages are allowed on the Daniel Fast. When you think “beverage” during the Daniel Fast, you think “water.”

Now, let’s move to a little bit of a complicated matter, and that has to do with “juiced fruit and vegetables” that are allowed on the Daniel Fast. The reason they are listed is because many people have meals of juiced produce. It’s not a beverage . . . it’s a meal. One woman wrote to me today and told me she uses juiced meals when she’s traveling and at work.  But she also accompanies the juiced meal with a beverage . . . which is filtered water. So if you are making meal replacements by juicing fruits and vegetables, then they would be acceptable. It’s a fine line. Juice as a beverage is not allowed . . . liquid meals like smoothies and other plant-based protein drinks are okay.

Water has many benefits . . . including thwarting hunger, helping with detox headaches and cleansing the body. The average adult should drink at least 1/2 gallon of filtered water every day. If this is a new practice for you, you will be very surprised by the benefits you experience.

Homemade Dijon Mustard for the Daniel Fast

As you probably have discovered, most prepared Dijon mustard includes sugar or another sweetener in its ingredients, deeming it unusable on the Daniel Fast. However, since most of us eat a lot more salads than usual, we want good flavors . . . and adding Dijon mustard to our salad dressing recipes provides a wonderful, full flavor. So here is a recipe for Homemade Dijon Mustard! You can make a batch of it and store it for use during the Daniel Fast. If you want, you can add a little honey to the recipe AFTER the fast, but meanwhile, be blessed with this modified recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cups dry white wine vinegar
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 ounces dry mustard
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
Few drops Tabasco

Directions: Combine vinegar, onion and garlic. Heat to boiling and simmer for five minutes. Pour into medium bowl to cool cool. Add dry mustard to a small sauce pan. Now pour the vinegar mixture through a strainer into the saucepan, whisking until very smooth. Sir in the salt and Tabasco. Heat slowly, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Allow to cool and then pour into non-metallic covered container. For best results, chill at last two days before using. This mixture will stay fresh in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Daniel Fast on Paula Today

God is so good to have opened another door so others can learn about the Daniel Fast! I appear on Paula White’s television ministry program on January 6th and 7th where we talk about the Daniel Fast and its many benefits.

Susan Gregory and Paula White - The Daniel Fast

 You can check your Christian television schedule to learn of when the show will broadcast in your area . . .

The Daniel Fast and Fasting for Food

I am delighted to announce a new partnership with Compassion International, one of the most respected child-advocacy ministries in the world, and Richard Bloomer who is an associate professor at the University of Memphis. Richard and his team of researchers have conducted clinical studies that show the health benefits of the 21-Day Daniel Fast.

Together, we are all working to recruit men and women who are using the Daniel Fast to begin the New Year – to help raise funds so children who don’t have enough to eat can receive the food they need.

Go to http://Daniel-Fast.com/FFF.html to see a short video about this great opportunity to make a huge difference in the lives of hurting children. This is an exciting new program and truly puts the power of Christ’s love into action as we help those in poverty by “fasting for food.”

You can also visit the Fasting for Food site: http://FastingForFood.com

The Daniel Fast for the 2011 New Year

It’s hard to know how many men, women and teens around the world start the New Year with an extended period of prayer and fasting. Estimates range from hundreds of thousands to millions. One thing we know for sure is that the trend is gaining. Very likely, more people than ever will begin 2011 with a New Year fast.  It seems that the preferred method of fasting is the Daniel Fast, which is a partial fast where some foods are consumed and others are restricted.

There is no “official” date to start the 21-day New Year fast, but from what I’ve been able to gather from my research and from the hundreds of email messages I receive each week, most people will begin the 2011 New Year Fast on Sunday, January 9th and complete the fast on Sunday, January 30th.

In years gone by, the common start date for the New Year fast is the first Sunday in January. However, since that’s on January 3rd in 2011, and so close to the New Year when many families will be traveling, many leaders have decided to start the New Year fast on the following Sunday, January 9th.

Jentezen Franklin, the pastor at Free Chapel churches in Gainesville, GA and Irvine, CA has been a prominent promoter of the New Year fast. He teaches about prayer and fasting in the churches he pastors and on his television broadcasts. Many of those joining Jentezen Franklin in this corporate fast will use the Daniel Fast as their method of fasting.

A corporate fast is when as few as three and as many as thousands of Christians join together for a period of prayer and fasting. Many church leaders call their congregations to a period of corporate prayer and fasting. Likewise, many leaders of Christian causes will ask those called to provoking change in the world through intercession to join in a corporate fast. During this time, those fasting will pray for God’s will to be accomplished in the matter for which they are praying.

But you don’t need to fast with other people. Many individuals choose to start the New Year with a period of prayer and fasting for personal needs or to pray for the needs of those who God has placed in their care. Many husbands and wives choose to start the New Year with prayer and fasting and if they have children who are old enough to be introduced to the spiritual discipline of prayer and fasting, it might be a family practice.

Personally, I think it’s wise to start the New Year with prayer and fasting. The purpose of fasting is to draw closer to God, to pray that His will be done, and to study the Word and the ways of the Lord. In these shaky times you and I can either be controlled by circumstances and the tough times – or we can partner with the Lord and through our prayer release His will into our lives and our situations.

If you want learn more about the Daniel Fast, receive a copy of the Daniel Fast Guidelines or find helpful resources that will assist you toward a successful fast, visit www.Daniel-Fast.com and join with hundreds of thousands of men, women and teens around the world as they focus their lives on God for a powerful period of prayer and fasting.

Daniel Fast – does it change God or change you?

I am now entering into my fourth year of teaching people about the Daniel Fast, a method of spiritual fasting practiced by millions of people throughout the world. Over the years, I’ve answered literally thousands of questions about the Daniel Fast and God has blessed me to make friends with men and women from more countries than I can count.

One thing I’ve noticed is that many people have a serious misunderstanding as to why they fast. And the greatest misunderstanding is that God will think of them as “better Christians” or accept them more readily if they complete a successful Daniel Fast.

But here’s the truth . . . you will not change God’s mind about you through prayer and fasting. The only thing that changes God’s mind about you – or I should say the only thing that will change your position with God – is Jesus Christ.  Because you believe in Christ and abide in Him and His word . . . that’s what makes you acceptable to God. Jesus makes you righteous and able to enter into the presence of the Holiest of Holy. The sacrificial blood of the Jesus did all the work that you will ever need to be acceptable to God.

Another misunderstanding about fasting is that we can change God’s mind by praying harder or more diligently when we fast – as if we need to counsel God so He can make the right decision about a matter.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, God greatly desires His will be to “on earth as it is in heaven.” He wants the very best for you and everyone in your family. He wants you healed. He wants you free of worry and stress over money matters. He wants you to have loving and healthy relationships. His Word is full of what He wants – His will for you and for me and for all of humankind.

We don’t need to convince God or inform Him or guide Him. Instead, it’s the other way around. God is eager to shower you with love, healing, peace and goodness. He is good! He is love.

So what are the spiritual laws that God designed so that His will can be done on earth as it is in heaven?

It’s prayer. Prayers from God’s people serve as a conduit to release His will from the spiritual realm into the earth realm. Prayer is the essential element.

One of my favorite Bible teachers likens this spiritual law to a power plant. The power plant is there and eager to release its power to whatever needs it. So let’s say you have a light bulb that you want to use to manifest light. The power plant is where it is ready to release electrical power. The light bulb is with you ready to receive the electricity. But there is a missing part . . . the conduit – the wires. Once the right wires are in place the power plant can release the power – and the light bulb can receive it.

The same is with our amazing Father. He is in heaven full of power, love, mercy and grace. His will is to have His power released in the earth to relieve burdens, bring order to chaos, heal the brokenhearted, remove disease and so much more. But before His power can be released there needs to be the conduit – men and women declaring His will through their prayers. Intercessors are required to stand in the gap for those who can’t pray for themselves. Prayer warriors must voice the will of God for the needs in our world.

Prayer taps into the power plant – the almighty God in heaven – and allows Him to release His power and His ways into the earth realm – His will on earth as it is in heaven.

So prayer and fasting is a period of time where God’s children can separate themselves from their typical activities and focus on God and pray that His will be released in the earth. Jesus says in Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Notice all the elements? Prayers to heaven – the need on earth – the release of God’s power.

Enter a time of prayer and fasting using the Daniel Fast as your method of fasting . . . study God’s Word to learn His will for a situation . . . and then use your consecrated period of time to pray His will into the circumstances! He already knows everything you need. He’s the almighty God. He doesn’t need us to inform Him or convince Him or move Him.

Instead, God needs you! He needs you to pray . . . and sometimes prayer needs to be intense and focused . . . and that’s when it’s time for a fast! Fasting was designed by God to help us change what we’re doing in our typical days so we can pray that His will be done – on earth as it is in heaven.

Be blessed on your fast.

Daniel Fast Instructions

The Daniel Fast is a powerful method for spiritual prayer and fasting. And the Daniel Fast instructions are simple once you learn the boundaries.

You can get a copy of the Daniel Fast Guidelines emailed to you by clicking here: http://daniel-fast.com

The Daniel Fast eating plan is like a vegan diet with more restrictions. The only beverage is water. So the primary foods are fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. There are no sweeteners on the fast — and no processed foods or chemicals.

Clearly, the purpose of the fast is to draw closer to God. During your fast you will want to focus your time with God for a specific purpose or to gain His advice, intervention or direction in your life. Again, check out our website where we are able to be more specific about the Daniel Fast instructions.