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The Sanctuary is excited about starting the New Year off with the Daniel fast. Fasting bring us closer to God and helps us get victory over tough situations and to bring us into a closer and deeper relationship with God. We look forward to rejoicing in the victorious testimonies of chains being broken and the purpose that will be birthed this year because of our willingness to give God the first fruits of 2013.
 
The concept of a Daniel fast comes from Daniel 1:8-14, “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way." Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, ‘I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.’ 

Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, (better known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego). ‘Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.’ So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.”
 
The background of the Daniel fast is that Daniel and his three friends had been deported to Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians conquered Judah (2 Kings 24:13-14). Daniel and his three friends were put into the Babylonian court servant “training program.” Part of the program was learning Babylonian customs, beliefs, laws, and practices. The eating habits of the Babylonians were not in complete agreement with the Mosaic Law. As a result, Daniel asked if he and his three friends could be excused from eating the meat (which was likely sacrificed to Babylonian false gods and idols).  And in Daniel 10 we read that the Prophet ate no meat nor any precious breads or foods and he drank no wine for 21 days. And after the 21 days Daniel and the three Hebrew boys were in better health and apperance than those that ate from the kings table.
 
The Daniel Fast is a spiritual discipline designed to connect us with God and to bring us into a deeper fellowship. We will corporately fast in The Sanctuary for 21 days. We'll begin sunrise January 10, 2013 and the fast will be broken at sundown January 31, 2013. The three weeks of the fast scriptures and prayers will be posted in The Sanctuary to deepen our relationship with God and center ourselves on what God is going to do in The Sanctuary and in our lives during this sacrificial period. We are praying that hundreds of people will come to faith in Christ this year as we invite our friends into The Sanctuary, that chains will be broken, a deeper connection develop and there is a release and a flow in the spirit. This will be a challenging process, but we look forward to seeing what God does in The Sanctuary and our lives. 
 
The Daniel Fast eating plan is similar to a vegan diet with additional restrictions. A Daniel Fast food list will be provided for a more complete outline of foods to include and foods to avoid. Basically, it has three main components:

 1. Only fruits and vegetables
2. Only water for a beverage
3. No sweeteners and no breads

Another important guideline is drawn from Jewish fasting principles, where no leaven is used during the fast. So that’s why yeast, baking powder and the like are not allowed on the Daniel Fast. A majority of meals will be made from scratch. Please note if you have any known medical conditions or suspect such conditions, consult your doctor before beginning the fast. If you feel that you cannot participate in the full 21 days, twice in the book of Daniel a fast is mentioned. One is for 21 days and the second for 10 days. We would like for you to challenge yourself with the 21 day fast but if circumstance won’t allow the full fast, we ask that you would set aside 10 days during the fast to join us in prayer and fasting.

As mentioned, the most important component of this Fast is for the purpose of spiritually  consecrating (set aside) ourselves for a specific period of time to draw closer and deeper to God to hear from Him. So as we prepare our menus let’s prepare our heart for the 21-Day Fast. Seek the Lord’s guidance as you get ready to start the fast. Are there issues in your life that you need to address? Are their needs in your family or ministry that can use special attention? Are you seeking healing? Do you feel oppressed by financial bondage? The next few days is an excellent time to search your heart, open yourself to the Lord, and allow Him to lead you into our corporate 21-Day Fast.