Day 21 Daniel's Fast Devotional

Day 21

Congratulations! You’ve reach day 21! Doesn’t it feel amazing? There many have been many times you felt like quitting, but you made it and that’s something to celebrate!

Philippians 4:13 says: For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

By our own strength and will power, we may not have gotten through day one, but with the super natural strength that only comes from Christ, we are able to complete what we started 21 days ago!

I know that God is honored and glorified through our worship and sacrifice to Him. As you continue on this year, I urge you to remain prayerful always. The same power that helped you through the last 21 days, can and will help you daily. Whether it be at home, work, school or church, Christ will give you the strength the continuously preserve and conquer the daily battles life brings you!

Keep on pressing into the Lord, seeking Him diligently and watch how He shows up for you!

Day 20 Daniel's Fast

Day 20

I believe you receive the most direction and correction from the Lord while seeking Him through prayer while fasting. It during those times in your prayer closet that God reveals His purpose and promise for your life. It’s also the time where His holy spirit brings correction and direction regarding areas of your life that might not be very pleasing to Him.

As the fast comes to an end, and life slowly goes back to “normal” I would challenge you to live a fasted lifestyle, remembering those days in your prayer closet and those sweet whispers from God. It will be easy to fall back into the trap of “business” but I believe if you make an honest effort to keep God the center of your life daily and continue to seek Him, you can experience this closeness to Him throughout the year.

Do you every wonder why there is so much clarity and understanding given from the Lord during fasting? I believe it is our mental and physical commitment to Him.

James 1:5- 7 tells us this:

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all he does.

When you fast, your mind is set on one thing, the Lord. That is what gives you stabilization. You can choose to be double minded, loving God one moment and doubting Him the next. Praying one day and worrying the next, fasting one day and indulging in the pleasures of this world the next, OR  you can decide to be single minded, with a mind continuously set on God, seeking His purpose and will DAILY, not yearly. God desires to know you personally and intimately.

Will you set your mind on the Lord this year?

Day 19 Daniel's Fast Devotional

Day 19

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4

God honored unity on the day of Pentecost and He still honors unity today. There is something very powerful about a body of believers in one place, with one mind set, seeking one thing. An undivided heart, completely committed to the Lord and seeking His will is POWERFUL, so how much more powerful would a collective group of the same spirited people be?

As we’ve been fasting and praying corporately, God has not only heard our prayers, but I am certain our UNITY has attracted His attention and it will be honored.

I encourage you this morning, as you prepare for today’s service, set your heart and mind upon the Lord. Let’s come to one place this morning, with one mindset , seeking one thing and watch how God moves in the midst of His people. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Just as He desired to pour His spirit out on the day of Pentecost, He desires to do it today!

Day 18 Daniel's Fast Devotional

Day 18

Do not be deceived : God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction, the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:7-9

It would certainly be a surprise if this spring you plant sunflower seeds and weeks later a rose bush popped up! It’s natural that we will reap what we sow. It goes for a silly example as this, as well as other aspects of life such as our relationship with God and others.

No matter what you decide to sow in your life, you will reap from what you have sown. For example, if all day you gossip, complain and bicker with those around you, your life will full of negativity and spiritual death! However, if you sow seeds of love, patience and kindness, continuously seeking the Lord, you will reap joy and everlasting life.

Every single day you have an opportunity to sow seeds into your future, what are you planting today? What harvest will you reap in the coming hours, days, weeks or even months?

Day 17 Daniel's Fast

Day 17

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

We all know what we want in life but sometimes, what we want isn’t what God wants. The truth is, no matter how much we pray and fast, if it’s not in God’s will for us, it just might not happen. That’s ok thought! God’s grace is sufficient for us. God’s grace will bring your through any situation, no matter how difficult it may seem. Sometimes as Christian’s we much rather ask God to change our situation, than to ask God to change us.

If Christianity were meant to be comfortable, we wouldn’t need a Comforter. Sometimes God will draw you closer and closer to your fears and further and further from your comfort zone, just to show you who He truly is! Don’t fight it. It’s in those times of discomfort that God can mold you, shape you and prune you into the man or women of God that He has called you to be.

You might be facing some big situations in your life right now, and your prayer for a long time might have been “God, please change it!” but you have an opportunity to pray something even bolder than that, you can pray that instead of changing the situation, God would change YOU. You may think it’s too hard, it will never work, but God says in your weakness, HIS STRENGTH is made perfect. I don’t know about you but I would rather have God’s strength over my own any day!!

 

Day 16 Daniel's Fast Devotional

Day 16

 

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14

As the fast is coming to an end, you might find yourself getting tired of the food, a little less eager to pray or a little less time to read your bible. You might be feeling like “yes its almost done!”

 

The truth is, we aren’t almost done. We will never be done until the day we die or Jesus returns.  I would encourage you during the last few days, this is the time to press in a little harder, go a little deeper and finish off strong! God has called each and every one of us for a time such as this, press in and continue to seek His will and purpose for you.

 

Fasting cleanses your soul and makes your spirit sensitive to God. This is the time to pray, this is the time to seek His will, this is the time to call upon the name of Jesus. Don’t settle in, comfortable with what you’ve seen so far. PRESS ON and MOVE FORWARD. Finish STRONG. Don’t waste one moment.

 

 

Day 15 Daniel's Fast Devotional

One of my favorite scriptures in the in the book of Psalms comes from the ninetieth chapter, verse twelve:

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Since the first time I heard this scripture, my heart melted. If you are like me, your life is busy, full of responsibilities and sometimes excitement. You probably find it difficult to take a break or just “relax”. When I heard this scripture, it reminded me how short and fragile life really is.

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the business of life, children, work, school, home, even church, however, when you realize just how quickly this life will pass you will begin to turn your thoughts heavenward. This is just a vapor compared to eternity.

What are you doing in your life that has eternal value? Three weeks of fasting and praying might seem like a huge sacrifice, but in the grand scheme of things, when you weigh this time out next to eternity, it’s nothing at all.. Do not mistake what I am saying, you are not saved by fasting, you are saved by faith. However, the time you spend fasting, praying for the lost, seeking God’s purpose and reaching out to those around you with boldness and authority does have eternal value. Every single person you share the Gospel with has great eternal value, living out your God given purpose in order to further the Kingdom and bring heaven to earth does have eternal value, the seeds you sow now into the people around you about Jesus and His saving grace, does have eternal value.

I encourage you to set your minds heavenward, do not allow yourself to focus daily on things that can be here one moment, gone the next. Focus on what matters to God; loving His people and sharing the Gospel.

 

Day 14 Daniel's Fast

“Lord, if its you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come”, he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:28- 31

 

How many times in our Christian walk do we find ourselves in the same situation as Peter? We call to the Lord, “Lord, if it’s really you, give me a sign!” I know that I’ve said that to God before, hoping to receive confirmation of some sort that will help me to make sense of whatever it is God has called me to do. What happens next, is also very common..

Many of us start off on the right track, we hear the voice of the Lord, we see Him in the distance and we boldly follow, but then when circumstances around us change, suddenly fear and doubt consumes us and we take our eyes OFF of the Lord, and place them onto the circumstances around us.

Jesus is the only one who can and will always sustain you, no matter what life has thrown your way. When we keep our eyes on the one who sustains us, we will remain on the right path, living above and untouched by our circumstances. However, when we take our eyes off of Jesus, and place them on our ever changing circumstances, it will not be long before we realize those things cannot sustain us and we will fall.

I ask you today, what have you been staring at? Have you been focusing on your circumstances? The situations around you? Obstacles? Dilemmas? Or have you fixed your eyes upon Jesus, the one who sustains you? It’s never too late to fix your eyes on the Lord, just like when Peter called out to Jesus, when you call upon the name of Jesus, He will IMMEDIATELY reach out His hand to meet you.

Day 13 Daniels Fast Devotional

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” Proverbs 23:7

Many of the battles we face on a daily basis, whether big or small, are first won (or lost) in the mind. Every day we are faced with choices. Some a large and of great importance, some are smaller, yet still impactful to our future.

My question for you is simple, what do you really think about in the quiet stillness of your heart? How do you really feel about life? The truth is your outward appearance, the words you speak, the things you do can all point in one direction, while your heart and who you really are, points in the opposite direction. When the two are conflicting, it will only be a matter of time before the conflict is revealed. As you think in your heart, will eventually become your words and actions, exposing your true character.

Examine your thoughts today, how do you really feel? I would challenge you to take a long look in the mirror and truly reflect on this. As you continue on in this fast, you will do one of two things, finish strong, and feel as if you accomplished a great step in your Christian walk, OR, you’ll quit, because it was “just too hard”. That battle will be won or lost in your mind first.  

Day 11 Daniels Fast Devotional

Fasting takes FAITH. Most likely the things you are fasting for cannot yet be seen. They will come to pass in the future, maybe later in the year, maybe even years from now, maybe it's something that can never actually be physically seen, but by FAITH you believe God can & will do it.

The bible tells us in Hebrews 11:1 faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Fasting takes faith and trust in God, knowing that even when we can't immediately see the solution, He is working one out for us! During your fast, whether or not you see immediate answers, remind yourself; FASTING TAKES FAITH, and without faith, it is impossible to please God.

God is no respecter of PERSON, He honors FAITH. It's the key to communication with Him and commitment to Him. As you fast, your faith will stretch & your fears will shrink, you will realize that you accomplished something amazing for The Lord, not by your own strength but by His grace! As you continue to fast, seek The Lord & pray that He will continually stretch your faith!

Day 10 Daniels Fast Devotional

Day 10

Fill Me Up!!

How many times have you said this over the last few days? You’ve probably prayed that the Lord would fill you up, or maybe even listened to the song a dozen times. It’s especially important that as you begin to empty yourself out both physically and spiritually with the detoxification process of fasting that you ask God to fill you up!  This is absolutely necessary! Now let me ask you another question, then what?

As God begins to fill you up with His presence, with His word, with passion and revelation, what will you do with it? Will you be a spiritual hoarder, or will you pour out everything God has poured in to you, into those around you?

I love God with all my heart, but my desire isn’t to seek Him selfishly, but to seek Him in a way that He would fill me up and I would overflow into those around me. My friends, family, co- workers, my community, my church. It’s my desire that everywhere I go, and everyone I encounter would be submerged by the overflow of the Lord from my life. You have to remember something, not everyone you encounter goes to church, not everyone you encounter knows the Lord, not everyone you encounter knows what they are missing. This is why as Christians it is so important to pour out everything that God has poured into us.

Proverbs 4:18 states: The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

You have to realize, your life, your words, your actions may be the first gleam of light, shinning into someone’s life before the full day of light arrives! Meaning you might be the only light someone sees before they actually have an encounter with Jesus. It’s important that we all do our part to shine the light of the Lord. We might not individually be able to change the world, but if each of us makes it a point to reach the individual, together, we can reach the multitudes.

As you continue fasting, I encourage you to look outward. Who can you pray for? Who can you encourage? Who can you invite to church? There is a world of people around us desperate to hear the good news, it’s YOUR responsibility to shine bright and share the Good News!!

I pray that each of you would strive not just to be blessed, but to BE A BLESSING!!

Day 9 Daniels Fast Devotional

You’ve probably heard it said before, “Fasting without prayer is dieting”. Although I don’t know where this phrase originated, it couldn’t be any more true. The key to having a successful fast is communication with the Lord. If you think you will be able to remove all of your favorite foods with your own will power, you’re wrong. Many times throughout the fast you might feel like quitting, like its too hard and during those times I would challenge you to ask yourself where you strength comes from. Does it come from self- confidence or Christ- confidence?

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6

Each day during the fast you should make it appoint to escape from your busy schedule, get to a quiet place and spend some time with the Lord. Don’t think you need to spend hours in His presence to be successful, I don’t believe God honors quantity as much as He does quality. He’s looking at your heart, and if your heart is committed to seeking His presence, He will reward you.

Have you spent time in the Lord’s presence today? Before the day is over, make sure you get away and spend time with the one who matters most.

Day 8 Daniel's Fast Devotional

 

Day 8

One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple. Psalm 27:4

Life is full of distractions, whether good or bad, there will always be something fighting for our attention. As you’ve been fasting, I’m sure there have been dozens of things, in just one week, that have fought to get your attention. Maybe it’s been the pursuit of things like money, jobs, cars, friends, relationships or even food or maybe it’s the daily stress and responsibilities of life, work, children or spouses. Even a good thing can pull your attention away at the wrong time. This is why we need to repeatedly make the decision to fix our minds on the Lord and not the circumstances around us.

I love this scripture because it sums up the purpose of my life in just one verse. There is one thing I want from God, to live in His presence and THAT is exactly what I will pursue. Today, tomorrow and every day thereafter, I will pursue the Lord with my whole heart, my mind and soul. I will pursue Him with my words, my actions and my thoughts. I will remove anything from my life that will remove me from His presence.

My question to you is this, what is the one thing that you seek? Is it the Lord? Or is it something else? Ask the Lord to open your eyes to any distractions and to help you demonstrate the self- discipline you’ll need to pursue the Lord continuously. You’re one week into this fast, and you have two more to go. Do not allow yourself to be distracted from the pursuit of His presence.

Day 7 Daniel's Fast Devotional

Day 7

Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.”

When Daniel fasted, he did not receive the answer he was looking for right away, in fact his messenger was delayed.

By this point as we are starting our seventh day into the fast you’ve probably (hopefully) spent a lot of time in prayer, seeking the Lord and putting your petitions before Him. You may have heard an answer by now, but you may not have, either way, do not be discouraged. Just like Daniel, the moment you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, YOUR WORDS WERE HEARD. You may not see the immediate evidence of this but if you keep on praying, keep on persevering, keep on pushing into His presence, the day will come when your prayers will be answered according to His will for you.  Do not be discouraged, do not be dismayed, God is near to those who seek Him, in due timing your prayers will be answered. Wait patiently and expectantly until that time comes.

Day 6 Daniel's Fast Devotional

Day 6

Many times throughout our Christian walk we will have the opportunity to become lackadaisical in our spirits. This opportunity arises each time the Holy Spirit prompts us to pray, and we turn on the television instead. When we know we should wake up a little earlier to read our bibles, but we hit the snooze button until the very last second. When the Lord prompts us to go deeper into His presence with fasting and yet we choose to stuff our faces anyways.  When you feel that sense of conviction right before you are about to gossip about someone, yet you still blab your mouth. The opportunity to be spiritually lazy will comes to you more often then you may be aware of and it will leave more of an effect than you would have ever imaged if you are not proactive about your relationship with the Lord.

I believe one of the greatest rewards in fasting is the renewed hunger for God.  When you are fasting, you have a heightened awareness to these distractions that so easily bested us on a regular basis. As you fast and pray, your hunger for God grows immensely!

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Psalm 34:8

When you are fasting you have the opportunity to truly taste and see that the Lord is good. Just as your body craves the sugars and carbs they once had, your spirit will crave the intimate time you spend in the presence of God during these 21 days long after the fast has completed. I encourage you this week, press in a little closer, go a little deeper, sing a little louder and dance a little freer. Release into the atmosphere all that God is stirring up within you during this fast.

Day 5 Daniel's Fast Devotional

Day 5

When you’re fasting, praying and seeking the Lord, your sensitivity to the Holy Spirit will be heightened in a way you may not have ever experienced before. Suddenly your convictions become stronger, your worship is a little deeper and your ears to hear are opened. Fasting is not only a way to get God’s attention but during this time you will undoubtedly hear from God in a more tangible way than ever before.

As you prepare this Sunday morning for church service, I challenge you to spend less time preparing your outward appearance and more time preparing your heart to hear from the Lord. Yield yourself to Him this morning; God is waiting to have an encounter with you. He is waiting to release something supernatural into your life, something so great that your life will forever be changed. This might look different for different people, but ultimately God knows each of our hearts, desires and needs. He will provide what He sees fit for YOU according to His will.

Let’s come into service the Sunday morning expecting more than a good worship set and message. Let’s prepare ourselves for something greater than the norm, let’s place an expectation on the Lord that He will not be able to overlook! It is my desire to see God move not only in my life and our church, but in our city, our families, and our communities. Let’s press in on this morning.  

Come let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. Psalm 95: 1-3

Daniels Fast Devotional Day 4

Day 4

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Matthew 4:1-4

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Let’s be honest, Jesus could have turned every stone into bread right at that moment. However, Jesus understood the difference between what He could do and what He should do. Many of us go day by day thinking just because we can do something; it means we should do it. That’s not always necessarily true. Is EATING a sin? Of course not! However, when you are fasting you must recognize you’re seeking after something more than just a full belly, you’re seeking a renewed spirit.

On the latter half of this piece of scripture, Jesus combats Satan with one of the most powerful weapons and triumphs over him. What weapon was that? The Word of God. It is important that as you are fasting you stay connected, reading the Word daily, meditating on it and fixing your attention on it throughout the day. Not only is it important in your spiritual development to partake in the Word of God, it will also be one of your greatest weapons in fighting the enemy when he comes to tempt you.

Over the duration of the fast remind yourself daily that ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ This will be one of your most powerful weapons in fighting the temptation you will face throughout fasting.

 

Day 3 Daniels Fast

Day 3

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord.  Jeremiah 29:11- 14

The passage in the book of Jeremiah is possibly one of the most encouraging pieces of scripture in the bible. The truth is, we are all seeking to find purpose in life. “Who am I?” “What am I called to do?” “Why was I born?” We all have questions that run through our mind on a daily basis regarding our purpose in life, but how often do we truly seek out the answers to those questions? As you continue fasting, one thing is for certain; your sacrifice and commitment to the Lord will get His attention. This is your time to truly pursue the purpose for your life. Go before the Lord in prayer, seeking His will for your life.

I challenge you to begin a prayer journal, write down those things that you desire to hear from the Lord about. Pray for each of them diligently, and as the Lord begins to reveal the answers to you, keep a record of them. Fasting makes you sensitive to the Lord and during this time you will begin to hear both direction and correction from Him in a way you may not have heard in the past. This is your opportunity! Seek the Lord, He is there, waiting to be found!

Day 2 Daniels Fast

Day 2

By this point in the fast, you’ve probably been experiencing headaches that are a product of toxins leaving your body, or “withdrawal” pains from not having your daily caffeine intake. Your stomach may be grumbling and your hunger pains are making you wonder “Is this really worth it?” or “Is this really necessary?” Rest assured, this is just your flesh throwing a little fit as it faces some unwanted (and probably uncommon) discipline. As these feelings intensify before they cease, I would challenge you to ask yourself this question; how bad do I want it?

The bible clearly states in Matthew 6:33

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”

As you continue on over the next few weeks, remind yourself as you sacrifice and put God first in your life, seeking His presence and His purpose, He will then add all other things unto you. This fast will last you 21 days during the first month of 2013, however, your commitment and sacrifice to the Lord will not be quickly forgotten. God will honor your faithfulness throughout the year simply because you chose to follow His word and seek His kingdom FIRST.

Look at it like this, we’ve all been there before! You wake up late, you scramble to get ready, and you’re late to work with no time to get a coffee. What happens next? If you’re like many, your day has now begun a downward spiral… We all know that how we BEGIN will play a large role on how we finish off. Although you may be able to recover and salvage the rest of your day, it won’t be the same. Likewise, before you is a choice, to hit the snooze button on the calling God has placed on your life, and scramble to catch up later in the year, OR, rise and shine, seeking God FIRST and allowing these 21 days to lay the foundation of the remainder of your year.

The choice is yours! Do not allow temporary discomfort to change the course of your year!

Daniels Fast Devotion Day 1

Day 1

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6

Each of us has a deep desire to draw closer to God; there is a longing within all of us for something more, something greater, and something deeper. If you didn’t have that desire, you wouldn’t have decided to embark on a 21 day fast such as this one. The truth is, most of us will go all year, hungry and thirsty for something more, wanting and longing to be filled yet we will never be satisfied. The problem with most of us is we look to the wrong things to quench these desires and we don’t realize what and who should really fill us. Some of us turn to relationships, others turn to shopping, eating, sports or working out. Although these things aren’t “bad”, they will only fill our time, but never fill the deepest desires of our spirit.

As you start this fast, keep this scripture in mind, remind yourself multiple times a day: BLESSED are those who HUNGER and THIRST for righteousness, for they SHALL be filled. It is God’s desire to fill your every void. As you begin to turn away from food, don’t allow yourself to turn to bickering, murmuring and complaining about how “hungry” you are, but realize there is a deeper hunger in your soul that WILL BE FILLED through PRAYER and FASTING.