How to do a Daniel Fast-(Plus my favorite rice salad recipe of all time!)
HOW TO DO A DANIEL FAST
A Daniel fast is based on Daniel 1:1-16 , and Daniel 10:2-3, read below...
But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the king’s delicacies or with the wine he was drinking, so he entreated the chief official for permission not to defile himself.
Now God caused the chief official to show mercy and compassion to Daniel.
10But the chief official said to Daniel: “I fear my lord the king, who allotted your food and your drink. Why should he see your faces looking poorly, unlike the other youths your age? Then the king would have my head because of you.”
Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,
“Please test your servants for ten days, giving us just vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Then compare our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s delicacies, and treat your servants according to what you see.”
So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.
At the end of ten days their appearance looked better and their bodies healthier than all the youths who ate the king’s food.
So the guard took away their delicacies and the wine they were supposed to drink and gave them vegetables instead. Daniel 1:1-16
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In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. Daniel 10:2-3
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We can see that first Daniel, (and his friends) refused to be defiled by the King's delicacies while in Babylon, many of which were unclean (like pork), and then later in his life, he used this same pricipal which was to not eat anything "choice" or "pleasureable". Daniel 10 specifically lists bread, meat, and wine.
In Daniel 1 we get further understanding, when it says that they gave them vegetables to eat, the word, also translated as "pulse", is zērʿōn (zer-o-een), and it means SOWN. They were eating anything that is SOWN...Yes, vegetables, but also fruits and grains. So basically just fresh, YHWH made food that came from the ground! But nothing with yeast or fermentation (no bread, nor wine), no dairy, no honey, nor maple syrup, and nothing processed like boxed crackers, etc. The word also says that he drank WATER, so that should be the bulk of our liquid intake.
I have learned that the Daniel fast can actually be a bit more difficult than a full fast in some ways. I believe it's because it is somewhat undefined. For instance-"nothing pleasureable" is impossible for me because I like all things sown except water chesnuts, so therefore-I will most definitely find eating a pear, potato, pecan, or pineapple- PLEASURABLE! Lol
And the enemy uses these undefined borderlines to tempt us with "Did God really say?" For me it's something like, "Sugarcane is sown, so does candy reaaallly break the Daniel fast?" Ha. The answer we know is YES. Candy most certainly would break the fast. But fruit in it's pure form is totally acceptable. Even if we think it tastes good.
I think for most of us a season without bread, dairy, meat, sugar, leavening/fermentation, and the convenience of grabbing something processed-is a huge sacrifice, and we must not be legalistic in our approach. If our goal in fasting is to humbly seek His face on behalf of His will in our own life or others, and/or just to leave behind the things of this world in order to be in His presence, then there is no room for PRIDE or Pharisaical fasting, and if it was a good fast for Daniel, then it is definitely a good fast for me.
HOW DO WE START?
The Daniel fast, like every other fast, is PERSONAL. We must seek the Father ahead of time for exactly what our fast will look like.
Questions we should ask are
How long is the fast?
When do I start?
What is totally off limits?
What is acceptable?
Is there anything that others would eat on the Daniel fast that you are calling me to give up as an additional sacrifice?
Planning the fast with the Father assures your success because we are not running ahead of Him trying to do things in our own strength, but instead are being called to obedience, and when we answer the call-He shows up to help every step of the way.
IS THE DANIEL FAST ENOUGH?
The Daniel fast is the perfect type of fast to start with, we can use it to work up our fasting muscles to take on more complete fasts, or in short seasons when we know we are being called to fast but are unable to due to schedules, travel, pregnancy, etc.
In Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus said "When you fast..." Not "IF" you fast...So if we want to HEAL and see victory in our lives (Read Isaiah 58 and see all the victory that comes from fasting for others!), fasting is the most basic place to start as a believer.
This post isn't going to go into the incredible physical benefits of fasting-but let's just say, FATHER gave us fasting as a GIFT! Science proves it HEALS our bodies, but even more, it breaks chains in the heavenlies! HalleluYah!
And now for my favorite rice salad, which is totally Daniel fast approved :)
