A. INTRODUCTION
1. Fasting is one discipline that will heal/improve health. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen . . . and thy health shall spring forth speedily?” (Isa. 58:8, ELT).
2. God heals, Jehovah Rapha. “I am the Lord that healeth thee” (Ex. 15:26).
3. Healing comes by faith and prayer. “The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up” (James 5:15).
4. The body heals itself. Doctors, surgical procedures, and medicine only remove the cause of disease/ill health.
5. Correct diet will make you healthier. You are what you eat, i.e., if you put good food into your body, you will have a healthy body. When you put the wrong/unhealthy food into your body, you will be sick or unhealthy.
B. THE DANIEL FAST PRESCRIPTION
1. Begin your fast by defining the problem, then pray for a specific answer to that problem. Daniel faced the problem (wrong diet) and the prospect (poor health). Why did Daniel reject the king’s diet? “The king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and the wine which he drank” (Dan. 1:15, ELT).
a. Against Jewish dietary laws.
b. Alcoholic, i.e., prohibited.
c. Offered to foreign gods/demons.
2. Fast as a spiritual commitment to God for His answer. “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself” (Daniel 1:8). A spiritual commitment is first and greater than any dietary commitment.
3. Your fast commitment is an outer test that reflects an inner desire. “Please test your servants for ten days: Give them nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink” (Daniel 1:12, NIV). The physical health you seek may be tied to several factors:
a. Your dietary commitment is reflected in your choice of certain food and the prohibition of others.
b. Your spiritual commitment is reflected in constant prayer during the fast.
c. Your time commitment is reflective by carrying your fast to its natural conclusion.
d. Your testimony commitment is reflective of your faith. You have told others that you are fasting for a specific purpose. “If ye have faith . . . ye shall say unto this mountain (your physical problem), remove hence . . .” (Matt. 17:20). Therefore the answer may be tied to completion of your fast/diet.
e. When breaking your fast, you reject your spiritual commitment.
4. Fast and pray to understand the role of sin that keeps you from health/healing. “Now Daniel resolved not to defile himself . . . he asketh the chief official for permission not to defile himself in this way” (Daniel 1:8, NIV).
“Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the
church: and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil
in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save
the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have
committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:14-16).
a. Sin sometimes is related to a person’s lack of health/healing.
b. Your lack of health/healing may be tied to spiritual rebellion, i.e., adultery, lying, blasphemy, etc. It could also be the sin of wrong intake, i.e., alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, etc. It could be a poor diet, i.e., fatty foods, poisonous foods, etc.
5. Your fast is a statement of faith to others. Definition: “Faith is affirming what God said in His Word.” Daniel said, “Give us nothing but vegetables to eat . . . then compare our appearance with the young men who eat the royal food” (Dan. 1:13, NIV).
6. The Daniel Fast is not done privately. The Daniel Fast is a statement of faith. “The official told Daniel, I am afraid of my lord the king . . . why should he see you looking worse?” (Dan. 1:10, NIV). “Daniel then said to the guard . . . please test thy servants for ten days.” (Dan. 1:11-12, ELT).
a. More than one can agree to fast together.
b. Announce to others the purpose of the fast.
c. Relate your sin to those involved.
d. Involve church leaders in your fast.
7. Know the potential of the food you eat during the Daniel Fast. “So the guard took away their choice of food and the wine . . . and gave them vegetables instead” (Dan. 1:16, NIV). Daniel lived to be over 90 years old.
8. Yield all physical results to God. Daniel submitted himself to the consequences of his convictions. “As thou seest, deal with thy servants” (Daniel 1:13).
a. Did Daniel say, “I won’t eat it, so you will have to punish/kill me?”
b. Did Daniel say, “If my diet doesn’t make me better, I’ll eat your diet?”
c. Did Daniel say, “My diet will make me better, then you will decide to leave us on this diet?”
9. It may not be God’s will to heal you because of your fasting and prayer.
a. The disease has endangered other physical organs/functions.
b. You began fasting and prayer too late, i.e.; you previously disobeyed and didn’t begin when God spoke to you.
c. You did not repent deep enough.
d. Your sickness is God’s punishment for a sin/rebellion.
10. The Daniel Fast will lead to spiritual insight. “To these four young men, God gave knowledge and understanding” (Dan. 1:17, NIV). “The king talked to them and he found none equal to (those who fast)” (Dan. 1:19, NIV). “In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all” (Dan. 1:20, NIV).
C. PRACTICAL TO TAKE AWAY
1. The Daniel Fast is longer than one day, because your health/sickness is developed over a long time.
2. The Daniel Fast is a partial fast. It does not mean to take away all food and water.
3. The Daniel Fast involves healthy food. Inasmuch as “the body heals itself,” you must allow basic necessities to strengthen the body so it can heal itself.
4. The Daniel Fast involves abstinence from “party” food. While there may be times to enjoy “party” food, the Daniel Fast is a return to basic necessities.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
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