The New Year Fast
Beginning Sunday, January 3rd*
- 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.
Gather Your Study and Worship Resources
God often speaks to us when we quiet ourselves before Him and study His Word and His ways. Hopefully, you’ve decided on the purpose of your Daniel Fast. Now you can create your self-directed study by choosing books that will give you valuable insights about your topic.
Study Books: consider using a book that offers insights, solutions, how-to lessons, and information about your area of interest. Be sure to use study materials that are aligned with God’s ways. Use your 21 days to gain knowledge, understanding, and new concepts.
Remember, wisdom comes from the Lord. So base all your actions on His knowledge, which you gain from His Word. Then get an understanding of the matters through your study, meditation, and learning.
How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
Proverbs 16:16
Your Journal: A powerful dynamic happens when we write. I’ve learned that writing is a process of taking the many abstract thoughts swirling in our minds and clarifying them by transferring them to the concrete quality of the paper. As you spend time in study, prayer, and meditation, set aside some time for writing in our journal. If journaling is a new practice for you, you will likely be surprised by the insights, clarity, and understandings you receive.
I’m not a “daily journal writer.” Instead, when I write in my journal, they are letters to God. Many times I have no idea what I will write about. I just allow the words to flow. Most of the time, the Holy Spirit enters the environment, and to my amazement, I find myself penning truths, insights, and ideas that I know weren’t from my mind.
Here’s another little “personal share” of mine. I never keep my journals. And I rarely re-read the previous entries. I want my writing time to be uninhibited. Just me and my Lord. If I’m wrestling with a matter, I don’t want to have to worry, “What if someone read these struggles of mine?” Knowing I will write whatever is in my heart and allow my Father to help me sort out the matters and come to valuable solutions gives me the freedom to explore, discover, and learn.
Devotional: Daily devotionals can be very helpful during your fast. You may have one you enjoy, or you may want to use the devotions I’ve included in each of the Daniel Fast Books I’ve written over the years. Devotionals often spark thoughts and the Lord can speak to your heart through the words of His servants.
Study Courses: You can think of your 21-Day Daniel Fast as a personal retreat where you’ll learn valuable and life-altering lessons. Christ-centered Study Courses can guide you through areas of learning. Of course, I would be honored if you use one or more of the classes I’ve created. There are many other excellent courses that you can find by your favorite Bible teachers.
You can also check out the Daniel Fast 2020 – Only Believe course to see if it’s a good match for your study goals.
Worship Music: You may like to listen to background music with your study, pray, and meditate. I usually prefer quiet. However, there are times when I sit quietly and experience the Lord’s presence while listening to pleasant and peaceful background music. Here is one of my favorites that you may want to check out. I play it on my television. The music is composed by a single artist and her channel is called “Dream Sounds.”
You also might want to plan for other worship music. I enjoy listening to Christian music when I’m walking or even doing tasks around the house.
Think about music that you want to add to the atmosphere of your spiritually focused time and have it ready and waiting for your time on the Daniel Fast.
Please Share Your Thoughts Below
What do you use for your personal study, prayer, and mediation time? Please share your thoughts below. Be a blessing to others as you mention the tools and resources you use.
Come to Me
Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Your God knows 2020 has been a heavy year for you. Now He wants to take the burdens you’ve carried and give you His rest and His security.
Sadly, so many Christians don’t feel close to God and don’t know how to hear from Him or how to enter His presence.
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 – Come to Me
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.
What do you do to keep your meals simple so you can avoid stress, focus on God, and grow in your faith? Please, share your thoughts below.
We always value your thoughts and insights. Please leave your comments below and be blessed on your fast.