Understanding the Daniel Fast

At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. –Daniel 10: 2-3 (KJV)

Many Christians engage in the 21-day Daniel Fast at a time specified by their church. However, for some, they are just following instructions with no real understanding of what it is all about.

But what exactly is a Daniel Fast, and what is the purpose of it?

For answers, Family and Religion reached out to the Rev Dr Zebulah Aiken, pastor of the Miracle Tabernacle Church of God of Prophecy.

Aiken, in responding, said that unlike the other kind of fasting that believers engage in, the Daniel Fast does not focus on denying oneself any type of meal for a certain period but is instead focused on maintaining a certain eating habit for 21 days.

While the ordinary fast is about breakthroughs, the Daniel Fast, she said, is not.

She said:“The Daniel Fast is derived from the Bible prophet Daniel, with some of the same principles to it. Aiken quoted from Daniel 10: 3: “I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.” This, she said, is the basis for the 21-day period of the fast, which stipulates that the participate abstain from meats and anything sweet.

Aiken said that believers need to understand the kind of outcome that they are expecting at the end of the period as if they do not, all that effort would be wasted. It would just be a regular diet for a few days without any meaning to it, she said.

“The Daniel Fast is a revered moment between that person and the Lord, and it will mean setting aside special times to engage in Bible reading and meditation. It will also involve some deep retrospective examination of one’s life,” Aiken pointed out.

Health benefits

According to Aiken, the fast is beneficial to participants’ health and cleanses both the physical and spiritual being. Those engaged in the fast drink a lot of water and eat healthier, so during that period, she said, the body is refreshed and rested as some physical activities are eliminated.

Many also give up their activities on social media, choosing instead to use the time to commune with God, meditate, and focus more on building their relationship with Him.

“Another benefit that cannot be overlooked is the denial of the flesh through abstinence of certain foods. This allows believers to cultivate discipline, as well as take control of their wayward thoughts as they train their minds to focus on God,” she shared.

The twofold purpose of the Daniel Fast, said Aiken, is good for those who engage in it. She also shared that the fast is not just for believers, as unsaved persons can also do it.

Aiken said that for those who are not saved, the fast can be a good way for them to focus on their spiritual needs, and for those who already are, the fast aids in developing a closer relationship with the Lord, as well as encouraging self-control in giving up things that are not wholesome for them.

“Spending more time in prayer, developing a more disciplined lifestyle, and making a deliberate effort to focus on the important things, where your souls are concerned, are things that will carry over long after the 21 days end,” Aiken said.

For her, there is no set time when the fast should be engaged in, but she said that the perfect time for her is of the start of the New Year – the first 21 days in January.

“It’s already a time when most persons decide they want to turn over a new leaf, or they make their New Year’s resolution, so for us, it is perfect. It’s about new beginnings and dropping the old habits of the previous year and embracing new and more fulfilled ones,” Aiken said.