Susan Gregory - The Daniel Fast (with Bonus Content): Feed Your Soul, Strengthen Your Spirit, and Renew Your Body

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The Daniel Fast: Feed Your Soul, Strengthen Your Spirit, and Renew Your Body

Copyright 2010, 2011, 2017 by Susan Gregory. All rights reserved.

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Designed by Stephen Vosloo

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James version, copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the Holy Bible , King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version , NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked The Message are taken from THE MESSAGE , copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Gregory, Susan, date.

The Daniel fast : feed your soul, strengthen your spirit, and renew your body / Susan Gregory.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-4143-3413-4 (sc)

1. FastingReligious aspectsChristianity. 2. Christian life. 3. Spiritual lifeChristianity. 4. HealthReligious aspectsChristianity. 5. Bible. O.T. DanielCriticism, interpretation, etc. I. Title.

BV5055.G74 2010

248.47dc22 2009040055

Build: 2021-04-21 13:29:43 EPUB 3.0

Dedication

I DEDICATE THIS BOOK to the worldwide Daniel Fast community who came together on The Daniel Fast blog and website. You have led me to deep and powerful truths about our Kingdom of God life as I researched answers to your questions and pondered your comments. You have encouraged me with your kind letters and messages of support. You have joined me with your virtual presence and financial support as we ministered to the men, women, and children in southern Africa. And you have taken my hand as we work together to let others know about the precious and powerful gifts available to the children of God through prayer and fasting.

I am honored to be a member of this community with you. Thank you, dear friends. While I cant list your individual names here, please know that I am truly grateful to you for making this book possible... I dedicate it to you. May the peace of Christ continue to overtake every part of your lives.

Before You Begin

T HE D ANIEL F AST includes a very healthy eating plan. However, please allow the Great Physician to work hand in hand with your earthly physician. Any time you enter into a significant change to your diet and exercise routines, its a good idea to check with your health professional for his or her input.

Fasting should never harm the body. If you have special dietary needsif you are pregnant or nursing, if you have a chronic illness such as cancer or diabetes, if you are a young person who is still growing or an athlete who expends more than typical amounts of energy on a regular basiscontact your health professional and modify the Daniel Fast eating plan in a way that is appropriate to meet your health needs.

Introduction

B E BLESSED, DEAR CHILD of the Most High God! You are about to enter into an exciting, life-changing spiritual adventure. Fasting is a powerful spiritual discipline designed by our Creator to draw us closer to Him, and the Daniel Fast is an experience for your whole person: body, soul, and spirit.

As I write these words, I am more convinced than ever that God has anointed the Daniel Fast to strengthen and empower His children for this period in the churchs history. At a time when world systems are shaking, obesity and disease are at an all-time high, and the power of darkness seems stronger each day, I have seen miracles happen when people turn their hearts to God and consecrate themselves for a period of prayer and fasting.

The Bible instructs us to measure the quality of things by their fruit. Clearly, the Daniel Fast bears much good fruit as it changes lives toward goodness, faith, and health. I receive thousands of e-mails and messages a year from people whose lives have been forever altered during their Daniel Fast. And thats why I am so excited about the renewal of this biblical discipline that I believe is powered by the Holy Spirit and sanctioned by God.

Throughout Scripture, we find numerous men and women entering into times of fasting: Job, Jonah, Esther, Isaiah, David, Jeremiah, Daniel, Joel, John the Baptist, Jesus, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul. Fasting is interwoven throughout the Bible as a normal and acceptable practice in our faith. Its not a rule born out of church doctrine or tradition. Rather, as many men and women are discovering today, fasting is a tool created by the Father to help bring His children into closer communication and relationship with Him.

Keep in mind, fasting is about food. Its about restricting all or some foods for a spiritual purpose. While the origins of fasting are not definite, we do know that God ordered specific times when His people were not to eat certain foods. When God initiated the Passoveror the Feast of Unleavened Breadas recounted in Exodus 12, He was very specific about the foods that should and should not be eaten. When Moses met with God on Mount Sinai (see Exodus 34), he ate no food and drank no water for forty days.

So just what is the Daniel Fast? In the first chapter of the book of Daniel, we learn of the young prophets tensions over the differences between the Babylonian customs and his Jewish ways, and it had to do with food. Daniel refused to defile the body that he had set apart for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The food offered to himmeat and wine that had been dedicated to the Babylonian false godswouldnt do. So Daniel and his companions entered a partial fast (restricting food for a spiritual purpose) so they could remain true to their God.

Throughout the rest of the Bible, we find stories of men and women of God who fasted as part of their spiritual discipline. And today, preachers and Bible teachers still profess the need for fasting. But rare is the occasion when someone offers step-by-step instructions for how to do it.

I believe thats the ministry God has given me. After communicating with thousands of men, women, and teens about the Daniel Fast, Ive discovered that what people want most is instructions. They dont just want to know about fasting, they also want to know how to fast . The purpose of this book is to guide you toward a successful Daniel Fast. I want you to learn how to fast so you can realize the great benefits this biblical discipline offers. In these pages youll learn: