WHAT ABOUT "THE DANIEL'S FAST"?

"Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's." (Romans 14:1-8)

The start of a new calendar year brings a sense of freshness and the sense that it's an opportunity for a "do over"; or what my friends who play golf call a "Mulligan". In evangelical and Pentecostal Christian circles many of us take these matters very seriously. I made it a point to read Philippians chapter 3 on New Year's Day this year. I love that passage about forgetting the things that are past and pressing on to what is ahead! In January, most of us, whether heathen or Christian, are aware that we have gained a few extra pounds over the holidays. I've been overweight for at least twenty years and I certainly became more overweight between Thanksgiving Day and New Year's Day! In many, many "Bible believing" churches, the practice of "doing a Daniel's fast" in January has become very common, especially in the past few years. This year, it seems like "everybody" is "doing a Daniel's fast".

Maybe I need to "do a Daniel's fast" but I'm not one of those Christians who is joining in that practice. In talking with some of my fellow born-again Christian brothers and sisters I find that there are a lot of questions about the Daniel's fast. Some are not sure what it is or where the practice originated. Some think it's a practice that's originated very recently in the Twenty-First Century. In fact, the "Daniel's Fast" has been around for quite awhile. I "got saved" back in 1970 and I first heard of it from some women at the Evangelical Baptist Church in Sharon, MA where I went to church for awhile. I don't think these young women actually did the Daniel's fast, but they knew all about it and felt it was a good thing to do and a good alternative to hard core fasting of all food except for water. There's a book called "God's Chosen Fast" by Arthur Wallis which covers everything you could possibly want to know about Christian fasting. I read it back in 1992. I am not sure if I own the book or if I borrowed it from someone- it was so long ago. But I do remember that there was a chapter in that book on what has come to be called, "the Daniel's fast". Ironically, the Bible never uses the term "Daniel's fast". The Bible also never commands us to "do a Daniel's fast" nor does it recommend that we "do a Daniel's fast". The idea of the Daniel's fast comes from Daniel chapter 1 and from Daniel chapter 10. In Daniel chapter 1, Daniel and his teenage friends, new captives in Babylon, eat only vegetables and water rather than the "king's meat" and they are found to be healthier than those who ate the "king's meat". In Daniel chapter 10, Daniel purposes to seek the Lord with all his heart earnestly in prayer. He does this for 21 days. During this time, he abstains from "pleasant food," meat, and wine. It's this passage from Daniel 10 that is most commonly cited as the basis for the "Daniel's fast".

I will admit, I am probably no expert at fasting. I will occasionally fast for a day. When I do a fast, I drink only water. I eat nothing. I usually will fast for twenty-four hours and sometimes for as much as thirty or more hours. At one time I fasted at least twelve days a year, but I have not fasted that much in the last couple of years. Most of the time, I do drink water when I fast. I think it's generally understood that when fasting, you drink water, but the Apostle Paul fasted in Acts 9:9 of all food and water for three days. In the Old Testament, Esther fasted food and water as did Ezra. That was pretty extreme fasting! I know a guy who has done five day fasts in which he eats no solid food but drinks water, tomato juice and V8 brand vegetable juice. He has had no difficulty doing such fasting, but I've never been quite that ambitious!

Honestly, I do have some difficulty with calling what Daniel did in Daniel 10 a "Daniel's fast" because I really don't think it's a fast. In fact, it's a diet. Now, please don't get me wrong here. Daniel purposed to seriously seek the face of God. He purposed to give up pleasurable foods during that time. Such behavior is highly commendable. IF someone chooses to emulate that behavior, I have no problem with it. I just wonder if some Christians have "gone overboard" with the whole "Danie's fast" thing. Most of the Daniel's fasting is done very publicly. People all talk about it. Sometimes whole churches do the Daniel's fast; or leadership teams to it; or Bible study groups do it. Again, everybody talks about it. But the Bible says we are not supposed to talk about fasting. We are to do it in secret. I know, I talked about some of my own fasting here, and I'm not completely comfortable about that!

I opened this piece quoting a portion of Scripture from Romans chapter 14. That chapter teaches a very important message: That God works in different ways with different people. One person may decide that to honor the Lord he will eat no meat. Another thanks God for his steak dinner, eats it and is content. One person does not watch television to honor the Lord. Another enjoys the family movies she watches on the Hallmark Movie channel. One person prays every morning for an hour using a regimented pattern. Another talks to God throughout the day and does not have a formal prayer time. Each "does their thing" as unto the Lord. And, one person wants to emulate Daniel and eat just fruit, vegetables, and water for 21 days while earnestly seeking the Lord. Another says, "more power to ya'" but just doesn't feel the need to do that. Honestly, I think the modern evangelical church may have "gone too far" with the whole Daniel's fast thing! I know Wallis included it as a chapter in his book, but I just don't think it passes muster as a "fast". Again, it's a diet. I think it's no coincidence that so many churches and Christians are doing Daniel's fasts in January. They're really trying to shed their holiday pounds. And, again, I think it's all been made much too public. In certain cases, people may be pressured into joining in a Daniel's fast, and in certain cases, people may come close to bragging about doing a Daniel's fast. Certainly, there are many believers who earnestly seek the Lord in private and who decide to emulate Daniel's eating pattern for 21 days to honor the Lord, get closer to Him, and to see spiritual breakthroughs in our churches and in our lives. I think that's commendable. I honestly don't envision myself ever doing a Daniel's fast, but I also know God has a sense of humor, and so HE may call me to do one someday. If HE does, I'll do it! But I won't call it a "Daniel's fast". I may call it a "Daniel's FOCUS" which is, I think, a much better thing to call it! It's a time of FOCUSING on the Lord while laying aside meat and fattening food for a season. And, if God ever does call me to do a "Daniel's FOCUS" I may tell my closest family members just so it doesn't mess up meal plans, but that's about it. I would not tell "everybody" about it; I would not make a big deal out of it; and I would not exhort others to join me at the same time.

I hope this has not made my brothers and sisters in Christ angry. I know it could. Again, I'm not at all opposed to a person eating only certain foods for a certain period of time and really seeking the Lord during that time, but it's got to be totally voluntary, mostly in secret, and preferably not called a "fast". I think keeping all of that in mind makes it pass the "Romans chapter 14 test"!

I also hope all my brothers and sisters in Christ will keep Romans 14 in mind as you re-read this, and that our fellowship is still in tact!