The Real Daniel Fast

Sometimes it is difficult to figure out what a “Christian” colloquialism really means.  All too often words are meted down to the least common denominator usually to the reader’s disadvantage.  Christianize, “church lingo”, has become a mainstay in religious culture.  Secular culture has taken language and made it a quick study of crude consonants minus the vowels, while creatively disabling our youth in formal expression.  Words are powerful and they mean something; usually more than just one thing, too. Christian culture has also found itself amidst the crowd by dumbing down scripture into whatever we want it to mean.  

I was going about my day on autopilot, when I heard Holy Spirit say…the real Daniel fast.  The phrase “Daniel fast” is familiar to most believers, but I had a hunch that the adjective “real” was speaking of much more than food restrictions of vegetables and water.  The phrase has become a colloquialism in Christian culture.  It is an example of one of those things that has been oversimplified, meted down to a health fad in error of the true significance and character of the actions of a prophet of God. 

Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar captured Daniel when he was just a teenager.  Daniel served four kings while in captivity, yet he still fulfilled his call and purpose in his generation. This simple example should exhort us to note that God’s purpose is not thwarted by the actions of man and political systems. God actually used Daniel and his companions, Shadrach Meshach and Abednego several times to reveal His sovereignty to those who were ruling.  God alone rules in heaven and earth; even during election seasons.   

Daniel 2:21 

And He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.

So as I pondered what the Lord wanted me to discover about this phrase, “the real Daniel fast”, I started to reread the book of Daniel.  It is well known as a book with prophetic ramifications for our time and season, but I really wasn’t reading it from that perspective.  I read just to glean from it what I felt the Lord wanted to impress upon my spirit.  I do believe it is important for this time but for totally different reasons. 

Here is what really stood out to me as I read this important book:

1. Daniel prayed often…which most of us know….3 times a day.

2. Daniel lived a holy life…he would not defile himself by eating from the king’s table.

3. Daniel was blessed with wisdom and understanding.

4. Daniel had dreams and visions.

5. Daniel recorded his visions.

6. Daniel was highly respected by the kings he served. He was Jewish royalty. 

7. Daniel had favor with his superiors.

Long story short, Daniel was promoted to the highest ranks of the Babylonian empire, while in captivity.  He continued to serve God, unashamed and without restraint regardless of the adverse circumstances.  He was willing to suffer persecution even death rather than denounce the power and sovereignty of the Most High.  His resolve resulted in the kings of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, Beltshazzar, and Darius, experiencing the power of God, Most High.  Their testimony became one that gave honor and praise to Daniel’s god.  The Most High did not allow those that he allowed to come into power to bring harm or shame to his children.  

So the question remains, what is the “real Daniel fast”? 

Isaiah 58 may help us to see what the Father means when he calls us to fast and pray…

Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry and He will say, ‘Here I am’.

This is the real deal.  

Father forgive us for making your holy word common and not holding it in its proper esteem. Forgive us for walking in presumption and not walking in fear and trembling.  Forgive us for pride and arrogance.  Help us to know your heart, to understand what you are requiring of us as sons and daughters.  Help us to do the thing that pleases you…in Jesus name.

A real Daniel fast will include the characteristics of the prophet of God who changed the world in which he lived by his obedience at all cost.  It will require the admonition found in Isaiah…to loose bonds of wickedness to break every yoke.  That sounds a lot like the spiritual warfare that Daniel experienced as he set himself to pray and repent on behalf of his people. 

I heard this before the election and I believe that the Lord still means what He says.  He has called us as sons and daughters to be agents of change that impacts our community and society.  This purpose is fulfilled primarily when we take our call to prayer seriously.  Many months ago, when I blogged about being election ready, I sensed that the Lord was performing an election of His own.  The Father is doing a work of separation in the work of His people. It is a work of holiness. Holiness is not about perfection, only God is perfect (those are Jesus’ words, not mine); holiness is about being separated to God, like Daniel even in the midst of a culture that was adverse to his beliefs.  He impacted his culture because he was separated unto His God first through His life of prayer. Everything else stemmed from that.  

In that blog, “Are You Election Ready”…the message was about our identity as kings and priests in the Kingdom of God.  I believe that it is more than necessary for us as believers to embrace our identity as sons of God; it is imperative.  Our obedience will impact our future and so will our disobedience.  As we move into the New Year and Christian fellowships encourage the spiritual discipline of fasting, I pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to every heart to not only put the flesh under but also exemplify the actions expressed in Isaiah 58.  This word that I am sharing is to me first.  I know that more than once I have fasted with the promise of ten pounds lost rather than the deliverance of a loved one.  Just telling the truth.  The Lord is calling me to a more separated life, a fasted life where I am compelled to pray for the person at Walmart and be the witness he has called me to be in this earth.  This is the fast that He is calling me to.  I am sharing this because maybe He is calling more of his children to the fast of the prophet of God.  

1. Pray often…remember pray without ceasing.

2. Be separated to God…submit to God resist the devil

3. Receive the wisdom and understanding from above…wisdom that is first peaceable.

4. Expect divine direction through dreams and visions…the Spirit being poured out on all flesh.

5. Record the word of the Lord to you…tremble at His word, He is God of the Universe.

6. Live as a citizen of the Kingdom: Royalty…king and priest.

7. Allow God’s favor to lead you exactly where He needs you to be… All things work together for our good. 

Living this fasted life will produce the results. God is not mocked: sow to the spirit reap in the spirit.   Daniel’s fast is the one of the best examples of the Isaiah 58 fast; the type that God desires from his children.  The fast that will cause Light to break forth and Glory to be a rear guard! We call out to Him and He answers…Here I am. Selah.

© Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles 2013-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without the express and written permission of this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.  Excerpts may be used provided full and clear credit is given to Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.