The New Year Fast
Beginning at Sundown on Sunday, January 5th*
Drink more water to prepare your body for the Daniel Fast.
Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
John 4:10
My hope for you on your Daniel Fast is that you will drink copious amounts of Christ’s living water. His water refreshes your soul like no other.
For now, as your in the final days of preparation for 21 days of prayer and fasting, I hope you’ll also drink copious amounts of fresh water to get your body ready.
The only beverage on the Daniel Fast is water. We get that from the request of the prophet as recorded in Daniel 1:12, “Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.” KJV
Pulse is food grown from seed. And water is . . . water. Not tea. Not juice. Not coffee. Not an energy drink. Water is water. And it’s the only beverage for your fast.
However, while we’re not fasting, most of us drink a lot of beverages that are caffeinated. Our bodies get used to the drug of caffeine. It likes it. And when we don’t give our cells the caffeine it has become accustomed to, our bodies often rebel. It will begin to scream in the only ways it knows how. And sometimes your body will throw a tantrum. That’s when you get the severe headaches. Leg cramps. Extreme fatigue. And other ailments.
Hopefully, you’ve started to wean your body from caffeine, and you’re already drinking more water. But if not, do yourself a huge favor and start drinking at least four tall glasses of water each day.
Water is a natural cleanser. Drinking water flushes your system of the impurities it may be harboring, so you’ll be more prepared to go without the stimulating ingredients of caffeine and even sugar.
It’s ok to add a slice of lemon or cucumber to your water to freshen it up. Just make sure you’re not adding so much that your water becomes tea or a fruit-infused beverage.
Now here’s the great benefit of drinking only water on the Daniel Fast. Yes, you’ll be cleansing your body. But you’ll also learn valuable lessons about submission, self-control, and obedience.
Our flesh can be like a spoiled child who wants what he or she wants when he or she wants it. And so often we give in! When we give in to the spoiled child, maturity gets pushed aside. So does humility.
Learn the lessons and receive the benefits of drinking only water for 21 days of fasting. You’ll be surprised at all you learn and how you grow.
Only Believe
Jesus says, “I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Unlike how we operate in the world where we “believe it when we see it,” Jesus calls us to enter into a partnership, level of trust, and position of faith with Him to believe that He will fulfill the requests we have for our needs and desires.
Sadly, most Christians are told “to believe,” however rarely are we taught “how to believe.”
That’s the focus of our Daniel Fast course for 2020. A series of online teachings that you can access from your computer, tablet, phone or other digital devices, will lead you on a path where you will learn how to ask the Lord for your desires and needs. Then how to enter into a place of trust and assurance, so you do “only believe.” And then how to receive from the Lord as He fulfills your requests.
Check out the course using this link: Daniel Fast – Only Believe
Enter into a life-changing experience with your Father. Allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you as you learn how to increase your faith, deepen your trust in God, and discover how to “only believe.”
Your Next Steps
- Decide that you will not indulge the flesh during your Daniel Fast. Instead, begin thinking about your spiritual life and what you want for your faith.
- Consider your upcoming fast. Start thinking about when you will begin. Examine your heart and what the purpose of our fast will be. Think about how you can lighten your load during your fast so you can receive more from the loving Father.
- Start to collect recipes and meal plans for simple, nutritious, and easy meals, so you don’t spend so much time preparing meals, but instead focus on God.
- There is no hard rule for when to start the New Year Fast. Most often, the fast begins at sunset on the first Sunday of the New Year. However, if you or your community choose another day, then that is 100 percent ok. Allow the Lord to lead you on when you can be most successful for your fast.
Now is the perfect time for you to begin preparing your spirit, soul, and body for the upcoming New Year Fast. You’ll join hundreds of thousands of followers of Jesus Christ as you dedicate the coming year to your Lord. Plus, you’ll enter into one of the most influential spiritual experiences as you commit yourself to the 21 days of extended prayer and fasting.
We always value your thoughts and insights. Please leave your comments below and be blessed on your fast.