Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days. ~Daniel 1:11-14 (NLT)
Focus:
The Daniel Fast is a spiritual discipline designed to better connect us with God. We are taking the next 10 days (January 4-14) of the new year to deepen our relationship with God and center ourselves around what God is going to do in us and in through us during 2016. This will be a challenging process, but we look forward to hearing from God and experiencing Him with intensity during the 10 days of fasting and prayer.
Prayer:
Don’t forget to PRAY during your fast! Prayer is the key. Without it, this fast is just simply altering your eating habits. Please post prayer requests during the fast on my Facebook page or by emailing me (chucketate@gmail.com).
Menu:
The Daniel Fast is a partial fast, which means that we will eliminate some common things from our daily diet, but will have generous options available. We will focus on eating fruits and vegetables that are pure and simple. We have included a list of foods to eat and foods to avoid. *If you have any known medical conditions or suspect such conditions, consult your doctor before beginning the fast.
Foods to Eat
Whole Grains: Brown Rice, Oats, Barley
Legumes: Dried Beans, Pinto Beans, Split Peas, Lentils, Black Eyed Peas
Fruits: Apples, Apricots, Bananas, Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries, Cantaloupe, Cherries, Cranberries, Figs, Grapefruit, Grapes, Guava, Honeydew Melon, Kiwi, Lemons, Limes, Mangoes, Nectarines, Papayas, Peaches, Pears, Pineapples, Plums, Prunes, Raisins, Raspberries, Strawberries, Tangelos, Tangerines, Watermelon
Vegetables: Artichokes, Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chili Peppers, 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
Seeds, Nuts, Sprouts
Liquids: Water, Unsweetened Soy Milk, Herbal (caffeine free) Tea, Natural Fruit Juice (no added sugar), Honey
Foods to Avoid
Meat, Poultry, Fish
White Rice
Fried Foods
Caffeine, Coffee, Tea (Decaf is up to you) Carbonated Beverages
Foods Containing Preservatives or Additives Refined Sugar or Sugar Substitutes
White Flour
Margarine, Shortening, High Fat Products All Breads
Dairy (milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, etc.)
*Some people choose to drink coffee (coffee is a bean) during their Daniel fast. This should be decided by each individual, however decaffeinated is the recommendation. You can get creative with your fast, too. Regardless of how much you cut out of your normal diet we know God will honor your sacrifice.
ADDITIONAL IDEAS
If you cannot eat fruits and vegetables for ten days, maybe you can sacrifice another area of your life? Here are some ideas of some things you can “give up” during our Daniel Fast:
Television
Social Media
Soda
Starbucks
Let’s do this!
#DanielFast2016
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