Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship
CORPORATE FASTING & PRAYER 2010
“ PREPARE & POSITION & PERFECT “
12 Days Of PRAYER & FASTING
Dec. 8 – Dec. 19 2010
Joel 1:14-15
14 Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord,15 Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.Joel 2:15-18
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. 17Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? 18 Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people.
What is Fasting?
Fasting is the voluntary abstinence from particular aspects of life in order to seek deep dimensions of fellowship and blessings with God. The Bible gives examples of two kinds of fasts: the absolute fast (no food) that Jesus and Moses observed in Matthew 4:2 and Exodus 34:28 and the partial fast (abstaining from pleasures---sweets and delicacies---no red meat, pork or lamb) that Daniel and John the Baptist observed in Daniel 1:8 and Matthew 3:4.
What is the Daniel Fast ? Answer: The concept of a Daniel fast comes from Daniel 1:8-14, “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men do your age? The king would then 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: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.”
The background of the “Daniel Fast” is that Daniel and his three friends had been “deported” to Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians had conquered Judah (2 Kings 24:13-14). Daniel and his three friends were in the Babylonian court servant “training program.” Part of the program was learning Babylonian customs, beliefs, laws, and practices. The eating habits of the Babylonians were not in complete agreement with the Mosaic Law. As a result, Daniel requested that he and his three friends not have to consume meat (which most likely was a sacrifice to Babylonian false gods and idols).
Therefore, a Daniel fast is eating only fruits and vegetables for a certain amount of time, abstaining from meat products. Some people use a Daniel fast as a dieting method. Some people use a Daniel fast instead of fasting from food entirely. The Bible nowhere commands believers to observe a Daniel fast. As a result, it is a matter of Christian freedom whether to observe a Daniel fast. Please also see our article on Christian fasting.
Answer: Scripture does not command Christians to fast. It is not something that God requires or demands of Christians. At the same time, the Bible presents fasting as something that is good, profitable, and expected. The Book of Acts records believers fasting before they made important decisions (Acts 13:4; 14:23). Together, fasting and prayer are often linked (Luke 2:37; 5:33). Too often, the focus of fasting is on the lack of food. Instead, the purpose of fasting should be to take your eyes off the things of this world, and instead focus on God. Fasting is a way to demonstrate to God, and to yourself, that you are serious about your relationship with Him. Fasting helps you to gain a new perspective and a renewed reliance upon God.Although fasting in Scripture is usually a fasting from food, there are other ways to fast. Anything you can temporarily give up in order to better focus on God can be considered a fast (1 Corinthians 7:1-5). Fasting should be limited to a set time, especially when the fasting is from food. Extended periods without eating are harmful to the body. The intention of fasting is to focus on God and not to punish your flesh. Fasting should not be considered a “dieting method” either. Do not fast to lose weight, but rather to gain deeper fellowship with God. Yes, anyone can fast. Some may not be able to fast from food (diabetics for example), but everyone can temporarily give up something in order to focus on God.By taking our eyes off the things of this world, we can focus better on Christ. Fasting is not a way to get God to do what we want. Fasting changes us, not God. Fasting is not a way to appear more spiritual than others are. When you are fasting, you should have a spirit of humility and a joyful attitude. Matthew 6:16-18 declares, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
What is the Daniel Fast ?
