Jan 11
1
Call to Fast: 21 Day Daniel Fast
Call to Fast
Dr. Richard Ledford is calling the corporate body of Restoration Place Tallahassee to 21 days of fasting and prayer. The members of Restoration Place are being encouraged to join Dr. Ledford and the RPT staff on a 21 day Daniel Fast to seek God in the following areas:
- for the complete healing and restoration of those in our body of believers
- for the 2011 strategic direction of our church
- for God’s plan for your life individually in the 5 key areas of 2011.
When Are We Fasting?
The fast will commence on Sunday, January 2, 2011 at 6 pm and end on Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 6 pm. We will break our fast together as a church family at Seminole Wind (more details to come).
What Do We Do While We Fast?
While you are fasting, Dr. Ledford encourages everyone to spend focused time in reading the Word, praying, and listening to the voice of God. Give equal time to prayer and listening, for example, if you pray for five minutes, then listen for five minutes. Use this time for focused meditation on God’s direction for you and your family in the coming year. Write down the vision God is giving you personally according to the guidelines listed in the “Happen to 2011″ sermon. Also begin to declare Isaiah 60 over your life for the coming year.
What is Fasting?
- To abstain or deny oneself of something for a designated period of time and for the purpose of spiritual discipline.
- To abstain from food and pleasant beverage.
- To abstain from certain foods and/or beverages for a certain period of time – given to spiritual focus.
What is the Daniel Fast?
The Daniel Fast is a partial fast based in part on the description in Daniel 1 where Daniel and his friends consumed only vegetables and water, after which they looked healthier and better nourished than those who had consumed the kings food. And also on Daniel 10:2-3 which states:
“When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in mourning for three whole weeks. All that time I had eaten no rich food. No meat or wine crossed my lips, and I used no fragrant lotions until those three weeks had passed.”
For the purposes of our corporate fast, we are electing to participate in the partial fast Daniel used. This means we will be eating only fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, and drinking only water and a small amount of “all natural – no sugar added” juices. We will be abstaining from red meat, poultry, dairy, breads, pastry, sugar and other sweetener, sodas, coffee, tea, and other non-natural beverages.
There are numerous sources on-line that will give you recipes for Daniel fast friendly meals. A few of these are listed below for your reference:
Work out your own fasting plan with God and whatever you choose to do during this season of corporate sacrifice, do it fully and completely with attention to your spiritual growth.
Who Should or Should Not Fast?
All believers who are physically able (and medically cleared) to fast should do so periodically to bring their body into submission to the spirit of Christ. Anyone with physical or medical conditions that could be aggravated by fasting should consult their physician before participating in a fast. If you are medically unable to fast or abstain from food/beverage, then find something else you enjoy doing and choose to fast from that – television, social networking sites, etc.
Together, we will “Happen to 2011″!!
