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Church Fast
January 20-29

What is the Daniel Fast?

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, "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.

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The background of the "Daniel Fast" is that Daniel and and his friends had been "deported" to Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians had 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 friends could be excused from eating the meat (which was likely sacrificed to Babylonian false gods and idols)

Guidelines for Daniel Fast

Foods to Eat:

  • Whole Grains: Brown rice, oats, barley

  • Legumes: Dried beans, pinto beans, split peas, lentils, black eyed peas

  • Fruits: apples, apricots, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cantaloupe, cherries, cranberries, oats, figs, grapefruit, grapes, guava, honeydew melon, kiwi, lemons, limes, mangoes, nectarines, papayas, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, prunes, raisins, raspberries, strawberries, tangelos, tangerines, watermelon

  • Vegetables: artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chili peppers, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, gingeroot, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, onions, parsley, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, scallions, spinach, sprouts, squashes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, watercress, yams, zuchini

  • Seeds, nuts, and sprouts

  • Liquids: spring water, distilled water, 100% all-natural fruit juices, 100% all natural vegetable juices

Foods to Avoid:

  • Meat

  • White rice

  • Fried foods

  • Caffeine

  • Carbonated Beverages

  • Foods containing preservatives or additives

  • Refined sugar

  • Milk

  • Eggs

  • Sugar substitutes

  • White flour and all products using it

  • Margarine, shortening, high fat products

Daniel Fast Recipes

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