DANIEL FAST 2023

Daniel Fast—21 Day Scripture
The Daniel Fast is a powerful spiritual experience to help
followers of Jesus Christ develop a more intimate relationship
with their Lord, seek answers to prayer, and grow in the
Love and knowledge of the Savior
Day 1
1 Chr.
16:24-26
Day 2 Rev. 4:11 Day 9
Day 3 Rom. 8:28 Day 10
Day 8 Rom. 8:28 Day 15 Rom. 4:4
2 Cor. 6:1-
3
Isa. 32:16-
18
Day 16 Isa. 65:22
Day 17 Jer. 17:8
Day 4 Prov. 19:21 Day 11 Ps. 127:1 Day 18 Jer. 18:9, 10
Day 5 Rom. 12:2 Day 12 Jer. 29:11 Day 19 Matt. 7:7
Day 6 Acts 6:4 Day 13 Ps. 128:2 Day 20 Prov.10:22
Day 7 Heb. 6:10 Day 14 John 4:36 Day 21 Gen. 12:2
Let us focus on God leading us forward
and become victorious in our journey.
(1 Corinthians 3:6-9)
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Daniel Fast Overview
The Daniel Fast comes from a story found in the biblical book of Daniel. It tells of a young
Jewish man and two others who were taken into the service of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon
after the Babylonians had seized control of Jerusalem in the 6th century B.C. The king
sought young men who could be trained in Babylonian culture and language, and Daniel and
his friends were to be fed rich foods and wine directly from the king's table. But Daniel refused
to eat the royal food, and instead ate only vegetables and drank only water. Compared with
those who ate the king's food, Daniel was said to have "looked healthier and better nourished."
How the Daniel Fast Works
Fasting is a spiritual discipline that involves abstaining from eating or any activity that takes a
believer's focus off of God. The Daniel Fast, however, places greater emphasis on restriction
rather than total abstention from food. Fasting is observed by the faithful for many reasons. The
purpose of the Daniel Fast is to seek God for courage, conviction and help in troubled times.
Daniel remained prayerful during this time, which was a new season for Israelites.
Contemporary Christians typically observe the Daniel Fast in January to bring in the New Year
with prayer and attention to God. As practiced by Daniel, the fast involves eating only vegetables
and drinking only water. However, most Daniel Fasts in practice involve eating all plantbased
foods, including fruit and grains. They also break the fast with the Lord's Supper of communion,
with bread and grape juice.
Spiritual Discipline
The fast was Daniel's way of showing commitment to Israel's God. The act of indoctrinating him
into Babylonian culture was an affront to his faith, so many observe the Daniel Fast to root out
all of today's modern traps and temptations. Whether it's food, work, television, the Internet,
money--even speech--the faithful practice fasting to maintain the original practices the Bible
teaches them to observe. Among the faithful, fasting is a religious vow that is not taken lightly,
and requires discipline.
Devotion to Prayer
Instead of feeding with food, adherents of the Daniel Fast feast on the Bible. The time is
reserved for as much prayer, meditation and scriptural study as possible. In Daniel's time, the
prayer was to seek God for the release of the Jewish people from the hands of the Babylonians,
but Christians modernize it to the struggles faced today, such as debt and war.
Timing of Daniel Fast
The Daniel Fast practiced today comes from the first chapter of the Book of Daniel. In that
chapter, Daniel was first being tested to see how well nourished and strong he could remain
while abstaining from the king's table. That test was only 10 days, although Daniel continued to
follow the diet. Later, in the 10th chapter, Daniel again ate no choice foods for three weeks, and
says that on the 24th day of the first month, he experienced a vision. The Daniel Fast observed
today is usually 21 days, observed from the first through the third week of January.
Caution
The Daniel Fast, like any other fast, can create problems for people with medical conditions. It
is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women. Consult your doctor before starting any
fast. Ask about instructions for your medication and how to manage any conditions you have
while fasting.
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Daily Scriptures
1. “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be
healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16
2. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be
filled." - Matthew 5:6
3. “I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will
be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will
praise you.” - Psalm 63:4-5
4. I will listen to what God the LORD says.” – Psalm 85:8
5. "Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be
able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." - Ephesians
6:13
6. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!"
- Isaiah 43:18-19a
7. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you." - Proverbs
4:25
8. "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to
him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek
him." - Hebrews 11:6
9. “They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.”
– Psalm 145:7
10. Don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices
that please God.” – Hebrews 13:16,
11. “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the kingdom of God belongs
to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive
the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” – Mark 10:14-15, NLT
12. “What you say flows from what is in your heart.” – Luke 6:45
13. “So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.” –
Ezra 8:23
14. “He must become greater; I must become less.” - John 3:30
15. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!"
- Isaiah 43:18-19a
16. "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well." - Psalm 139:14
17. “Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.” – Ephesians 5:2
18. “For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your
enemies to give you victory." – Deuteronomy 20:4
19. “Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been
born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because
God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only
Son into the world that we might live through him.” – 1 John 4:7-9
20. “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things.” – Psalm 81:10b
21. The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that
sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen
like one being taught." - Isaiah 50:4
NOTES:
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I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually
be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast
in the LORD;
The humble shall hear of it
and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with
me,
And let us exalt His name together.
Psalm 34:1-3
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Instructions for the Daniel Fast
Overview
The Daniel Fast is a diet program that focuses on spiritual development through
discipline and a desire to ready yourself spiritually to become closer to God.
Just like Daniel in the Bible, who abstained from partaking of the king's rich
foods and meat, someone who embarks on a Daniel Fast gives up rich foods
and curbs his appetites; both literally and figuratively, as he seeks to gain a better
connection with God through constant prayer and partial fasting.
Step 1
Rid your cupboards and refrigerator of rich, meaty foods, including fish and
poultry. Remove heavily processed foods and convenience foods, as well as
processed ingredients like processed flour and sugar products. Like Daniel, you
will be abstaining from "rich" foods. The Bible does not give exact instructions,
so you can decide the definition of rich foods for yourself.
Step 2
Fill your kitchen with raw, whole foods. The Bible says that Daniel ate vegetables
and drank only water to fulfill him while fasting. Look for brightly colored
fruits and vegetables, which have the most nutrients, as well as healthy proteins
like beans, nuts and legumes. Go fresh whenever possible, to avoid preservatives
in canned goods. Drink only water, and get rid of all other beverages.
Step 3
Fast from other figurative appetites, like the appetite for things that are of the
world. These could include television, sports or social engagements. As the goal
for a Daniel Fast is to grow closer to God, remove all of those things that would
distract you from that growth.
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Step 4
Take time to pray and meditate on your own spirituality. Meditation can be
performed in any quiet space, where you have time, at least ten minutes or more,
to sit comfortably and reflect on your life, spiritual growth and accomplishments.
Along with fasting, this meditation can help you gain more in the way of peace and
growth.
Step 5
Exercise discipline when on the Daniel Fast. Learn to say "no," and avoid justifying
eating rich foods or partaking in things from which you said you'd abstain. The only
person monitoring your fast is you, so you need to be faithful to the fast by living it
carefully. For instance, going out to social activities that may hinder your spirituality,
like a night at the bar, should be said "no" to while on the Daniel Fast.
Step 6
Continue the fast until you feel like you've accomplished your goal of becoming
close to God through fasting and prayer. Each individual needs to decide how long
to fast, as the results of this fast are largely personal.
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Prepare for your Daniel Fast
During the Daniel Fast you will not consume any sugar or
sweeteners of any kind, nor will you have any caffeine of artificial
chemicals. Many people experience a physical detox during the
first few days of the fast including headaches, fatigue, leg cramps
and other typical symptoms.
You can reduce these effects by weaning yourself from these
foods before the fast begins and also by drinking at least 1/2
gallon of filtered water each day before, during, and after the
fasting period.
Anytime you have concern about symptoms you may experience,
be sure to contact your health professional. Fasting should never
be harmful to the body!
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The Daniel Fast Food List
The Daniel Fast is a very healthy way to eat and
is full of nutritious and healthy foods. However, if
you have special dietary needs, you should
consult your health professional before you start
this fast. You can then modify the fast to meet
your specific needs.
Foods to include during the Daniel Fast
All fruits. These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced, or canned.
Fruits include but are not limited to apples, apricots, bananas,
blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cantaloupe, cherries,
cranberries, figs, grapefruit, grapes, guava, honeydew melon, kiwi,
lemons, limes, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches,
pears, pineapples, plums, prunes, raisins, raspberries, strawberries,
tangelos, tangerines, and watermelon.
All vegetables. These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned.
Vegetables include but are not limited to artichokes,
asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots,
cauliflower, celery, chili peppers, collard greens, corn cucumbers,
eggplant, garlic, ginger root, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms,
mustard greens, okra, onions, parsley, potatoes, radishes,
rutabagas, scallions, spinach, sprouts, squashes, sweet potatoes,
tomatoes, turnips, watercress, yams, zucchini, veggie burgers are
an option if you are not allergic to soy.
All whole grains, including but not limited to whole
wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, oats, barley, grits,
whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortillas, rice
cakes and popcorn.
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The Daniel Fast Food List cont.
All nuts and seeds, including but not limited to sunflower seeds,
cashews, peanuts, sesame. Also nut butters including peanut butter.
All legumes. These can be canned or dried. Legumes include but
are not limited to dried beans, pinto beans, split
peas, lentils, black eyed peas, kidney beans, black
beans, cannellini beans, white beans.
All quality oils, including but not limited to olive,
canola, grape seed, peanut, and sesame.
Beverages: spring water, distilled water or other
pure waters.
Other: tofu, soy products, vinegar, seasonings, salt, herbs, and
spices.
Foods to avoid on the Daniel Fast
All meat and animal products including but not limited to beef,
lamb, pork, poultry, and fish.
All dairy products including but not limited to milk, cheese, cream,
butter, and eggs.
All sweeteners including but not limited to sugar, raw sugar, honey,
syrups, molasses, and cane juice.
All leavened bread including Ezekiel Bread (it contains yeast and
honey) and baked goods.
All refined and processed foods and products including but not
limited to artificial flavorings, food additives, chemicals, white rice,
white flour, and foods that contain artificial preservatives.
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All deep fried foods including but not limited to potato chips,
French fries, corn chips.
All solid fats including shortening, margarine, lard and foods high in
fat.
Beverages including but not limited to tea, herbal teas, carbonated
beverages, energy drinks, and alcohol.
When you shop for food remember to READ THE LABELS so you
make sure the only ingredients in packaged foods are suitable for
the Daniel Fast. You will want to be especially aware of chemicals,
dairy products and sweeteners — all of which are not allowed on the
Daniel Fast.
The Daniel Fast
For more information, lots of recipes,
and answers to frequently asked questions,
visit the Daniel Fast Blog at:
http://DanielFast.wordpress.com
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RECOMMENDED BOOKS
The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast
by Kristen Feola
The Daniel Fast
by Susan Gregory
The Daniel Fast for Spiritual Breakthrough
By Elmer L. Towns
The Daniel Fast Website :
Www.daniel-fast.com