Glad Tidings of God Who Is Good!
Greetings to you every1one our bcc body, family, alum, and tribe.
“Glory to God in the Highest, And on earth peace among ppl with whom He is pleased”- Luke 2:14.
I invite you, your household, and our entire bcc body into a corporate twenty-one day Daniel Fast from Sunday January 3, 2021 through Sunday January 24, 2021.
Of course, this is subject to your own choice, will, physical health ability, physician’s care, and medical prescriptions you may be under. However for all who can and are willing, we will be honored to have you fast and pray with us in whatever capacity you can unite.
This reading is to overview our bcc corporate “Daniel Fast” background, basics, our specific leading of how we are following it, our focus, purpose, and recommended resources to accompany our learning, willingness, and agreement. I am attempting to intentionally make this easy for every1one to join on one accord, with one mind, and support in one spirit. In order to guide us into this, please read the rest of this document first and follow our chosen resources and led directions before consulting other references. With such a subject, there are many findings that could have different directions that could confuse or turn each to their own way. We pray for unity together as one.
Our ministry leadership team has given godly counsel for my awareness to address some questions for us all to gain unity, wisdom, and understanding. After all, wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore we want to get wisdom. And in all our getting, we want to get understanding (Proverbs 4:7). Understanding may motivate us to join in fasting and prayer and/or give us the knowledge Jesus uses to reveal your reason and how to achieve the vision.
I hope to provide some of the biggest help we could ever practically gain in the hindrance of fasting.
Oftentimes, the thought of “fasting” immediately causes us to think about what we “can’t have” or what we are “fasting from” or “going without.” I encourage us to realize prayer and fasting is about Who we are fasting before and why we are fasting, not what we are “not” eating, doing, or having for a time.
In addition, HUGE! Fasting is always, again i remind us, Always accompanied by the priority partner of PRAYING! Many state it this way, while you are fasting – restricting yourself from something for spiritual purposes, you fill that time, substance, or entity by prayer. Prayer and setting ourselves apart for God is the accompanying portion of fasting. Thus, we never really say fasting without the other: Prayer and Fasting or Fasting and Prayer.
Question? Why are we fasting? Answer: Time, Growth, and Closeness with Christ
- At the closing of a challenging year, I believe now is the time we can prioritize Jesus as first for a new year. We are fasting to reset our hopes, dreams, visions, and growing again.
- Biblical Fasting and Prayer creates an opportunity to empty ourselves and hunger and thirst to grow close to God.
- Ultimately, i am confident with conviction in-Christ that fasting and prayer is for you. We are fasting for you to grow and for us to grow spiritually stronger.
Q? What is a Daniel Fast? A: A 21 Day Partial Food Fast (from breads, treats, sweets, & meats)
Read all of Daniel chapter 10. Here is an excerpt…
Daniel 10: 1-3, 12-15: In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and it concerned great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision. In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. I did not eat any tasty food (delicacies), nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed.
Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.” When he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless.
- The Daniel Fast was introduced and taught to me an estimated twenty plus years ago and thus the “law of the first mentioned” in origin and operation plays a role. I want to pause a moment here and acknowledge today many websites, articles, books, and teachings have been published since then with just as many takes and directions on how to Daniel Fast. Admittedly, so much material may be commercialized and specialized according to their persuasions or purposes (food products, dietary benefits, etc.). I am presenting scriptural and spiritual information and instructions to help increase our lives purely in Jesus Christ and living abundantly in Him.
- Daniel was mourning for three weeks (21 days) when he received a message and vision from heaven. This directs our duration of 21 days and that we would receive messages, visions, and encounters from heaven.
- Daniel during those days did not eat tasty foods (literal translation was “delicacies”);
- KJV “pleasant breads” which was taken to mean breads & grains;
- meats (including all animal flesh and products like dairy);
- nor wine (applied to as liquor and fermented things like vinegars),
- nor indulged in bodily pleasantry treatments.
- Older Christian teachers of the Word applied these to mean
- NO: breads, grains, treats, sweets, nor meats. (include favorite snacks, sugary drinks…)
- Daniel Partial Food Fast foods to eat are all vegetables and fruits (seasoned with olive or vegetable oils, salts, peppers, herbs, & spices) There are lots of creative dishes to explore. Please, please gain this understanding, none of this is legalistically or The Law based to be done by rules and obligations, but by a willing and submitting spirit to Jesus Christ and the rendering of our hearts through this natural and applied practice.
Q? Why are we Daniel Fasting this specific way? A: 21 days; Vegetables & Fruits only
There are questions about different ways to do a Daniel Fast like how many days, what to eat and what not to eat, how strict do we have to be or not, and other such good questions.
- Daniel chapter one describes an exchange about Daniel leading himself and other Hebrew boys to eat a different dietary plan for ten days that would not defile them. And if their captors were pleased with their health, then they would be allowed to continue not eating from the foreign foods that were offered to idols. After i had studied this, i did not find this as fasting per se, but rather a dietary lifestyle, perhaps purely more kosher. Daniel advocated devotion to God and Jehovah won their victory and stand for Him. However, the original Daniel Fast was associated with chapter ten where the angelic spiritual warfare and breakthrough took place.
- Please read this resource that likewise explains this viewpoint: Daniel Fast – How Many Days?
Q? What or Who do we spiritually seek after during a Daniel Fast? A: Humble ourselves / Grace; saying “No” to self; and Encountering Jesus, a Breakthrough, Vision, or Message for our future
- Psalms 35:13 & 69:10 are example scriptures that account fasting as humbling oneself. This is further enlightening because fasting while praying strengthens us to say “no” to our flesh (where pride can reside) and say “yes” to Jesus Who is in and one with our spirit. 1 Peter 5:5b “and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” In other words, prayer and fasting humbles our soul, and Jesus Gives us More and More Grace.
- Daniel’s entire three week fast reveals a Heavenly visitation that had a breakthrough from being spiritually withheld, an answer to Daniel’s prayer, a message delivered to him. We also believe today that more ppl will have increased encounters with Jesus, spiritual breakthroughs, Heavenly Visions and Messages from the Holy Spirit.
We do not fast and pray because it forces or “twists God’s Arm” to bless us nor fasting is our works, striving, or deserving something more from God. Fasting is clearly for us, for our growth, for our spiritual discipline, and postures our soul. We could describe it as emptying ourselves of physical energy in the natural and becoming hungry, thirsty, and more aware of the eternal supernatural spiritual things of God.
If you have never fasted before, very rarely fasted, or have never considered an extended fast like this before, you should exercise your faith and try. Try it with your church body for your growth, growing closer with Christ, and growing spiritually stronger with your faith in God. Whatever you commit to doing will be challenged, going further than you ever have before, with Jesus Christ being worth it all.
Here are some other resources to view. You have access to pastor toran and mlt staff also.
Daniel Fasting – Basics, Beliefs, & Descriptions Daniel Fast – Draw Nearer to God
We decree “(Scandalous) Grace, (Chesed Compassionate) Mercy, and (Shalom) Peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in Truth and Love”- 2 John 3.
bcc body of believers corporate Daniel Fast Sunday January 03, 2021 through Sunday January 24, 2021
We will share more details about prayers, focuses, and what bcc will be believing for moving into 2021.
-Pas. Toran C. Smith, Senior Pastor
Weekly Focuses:
0 Comments