THE 2012 CHURCH THEME AND DANIEL FAST SCHEDULE

THEME: “Impacting This Generation Through Obedience, Prayer & The Word of God”   

Scripture References:  II Chronicles 7: 12-14   &    Ezra  8:21-23

II.  THE 2012 TEN DAY DANIEL FAST: January  3-12 (Tuesday-Thursday)

What is fasting? 

It is an act of self-denial.  When we fast, we give up eating and drinking certain foods and liquids, going certain places, and doing things that we might normally do for pleasure.   Fasting can last for various lengths of time, depending on your needs and goals.    One form of fasting consists of total abstinence from food and drinks.  Some people do a “bread and water” fast; during which they only eat and drink bread and water.  The Daniel Fast consists essentially of a vegetarian diet and water. 

What is a Daniel Fast?

The “Daniel Fast” is a practice that is based on the life Daniel, the Old Testament Prophet.  In Daniel 1:8-14, we are told of how Daniel and his fellow Jews fasted by abstaining from eating the King’s food.    “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.”

Daniel was one among thousands of Jews who had been taken captive by the Babylonians, under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar, the wicked King.  Daniel and his friends were very brilliant, well-mannered, and very devout in their devotion to God.   They were selected by the King’s assistants to be servants in the King’s palace and to perform other duties for the King.  This would normally require them to eat the food that was served from the King’s dining room.  The meat, along with the other food items that were prepared for such meals, was “dedicated” to the Babylonian gods.  Jews who followed the teachings of Moses were forbidden to eat such foods.  Being a devout Jew, Daniel resolved that he would refuse the King’s food and asked for a diet that consisted of fruit, vegetables and water.   Permission was granted and the Hebrew Boys fasted for ten days, eating fruits and vegetables and drinking water.   At the end of the ten days of fasting, the Hebrew Boys were stronger and more fit than the other servants. 

From Daniel, then, we learn this particular method of fasting that consists of eating fruits and vegetables and drinking water.  It is a voluntary fast that Christians follow as an act of spiritual discipline.

Why are we fasting?  

The purpose of fasting is to exercise discipline and control of our flesh (body) and our soul (mind, emotions, behavior). As you deny you body and soul the things that they need and crave, a true fast also demands that you feed and strengthen your spirit.  This is done as we pray, study, and meditate on the Word of God.  There are some things that God will only release into your life as you spend time in communion with Him.  When fasting is combined with prayer, your spirit communes with God and he speaks to you.  Moreover, we are fasting this year in order to seek God’s face about His will for our church in 2012.  We do not want our calendar filled with meaningless dates and are time spent on “church busy work.”  We want His had upon us and we want to move intentionally into the year with His blessings.  So we will be praying for these things over the next ten days. 

What are Some Key Biblical References on Fasting?  

• II Samuel 12: 1-20   
• II Chronicles 20: 1-30   
• Ezra 8  
• Nehemiah 9  
• Esther 4  
• 1Kings 21:9   
• Nehemiah 9:1   
• Esther 4:3 & 9:3 Psalms 35:13
• Psalms 109:24 
• Isaiah 58:4   
• Jeremiah 36:9   
• Daniel 9  
• Joel 2:12              
• Matthew 4:2     
• Mark 2:18           
• Mark 9:29           
• Luke 2:37            
• Acts 13:2  & 14:23                      

How Might I Join in With Other Universal Members in  Prayer & Study During the Fast?

• Call and join Pastor Johnson & the Intercessors @ 6:00 a.m. M-F: 213.416.6650   Code: 42016.
• Join others who will come to the church each night during the consecration for One Hour of Prayer  @ 7 p.
• Attend Prayer & Bible Study on Thursday.
• Be in Sunday School at 8:45 am.
• Follow Pastor’s Daily Blog @ www.universaloutreach.org and on the Universal Outreach Facebook page.

 How To Pray During the Daniel Fast.

Be Very Specific About What Your Are Praying For.  During our fast, we will be reflecting on specific Scriptures and we will also be focusing on specific needs that the church has.  You should add these to your prayer concerns.

Pray Specifically for the Following Needs as you Read the Scriptures that are Noted.

• Days One & Two:  Tuesday-Wednesday-- II Samuel 12: 1-20 & I Corinthians 12: 8-12;   David seeks healing for his son and Paul taught the church about spiritual gifts.   Pray for God to impart supernatural gifts in our church that       will manifest in our worship.   Your Prayer needs: ____________________________________________________________________________________
• Days Three-Fiver: Thursday-Saturday—II Chronicles 20: 1-30:  Jehoshaphat seeks an answer from God. Pray that God will answer our personal and corporate prayer requests.  Pray specifically that He will direct our ministries into the center of His will for our lives. ____________________________________________________________________________________
• Days  Six-Seven:  Sunday-Monday--  Ezra 8: Seeking God’s Protection & Supernatural Provisions.  We are tasked with doing God’s work, yet we need His protection & provisions to get His work done.  Pray that the year 2012 will be one of safety for our ministries and that God will touch the hearts of person who will give to the Ministry. ____________________________________________________________________________________
• Days  Eight-Nine  Tuesday-Wednesday —Nehemiah 9:  A time of Confession.  Confess your shortcomings and sins.  Pray for the shortcomings and sins of our members and for God’s forgiveness. _________________________________________________________________________

Day Ten:  Thursday:   Genes 12:1-6; Esther 4, Numbers 6:24-26:  Esther seeks God’s favor.   Pray for God’s hand  to work in our ministry and for the favor of God upon all of our efforts.

What Should I Eat and Drink During the Fast? 

What 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, Gingerroot, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce,  Mushrooms, Mustard Greens, Okra,
• Onions, Parsley, Potatoes, Radishes, Rutabagas, Scallions, Spinach, Sprouts, Squashes, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes,
• Turnips, Watercress, Yams, Zucchini
• Seeds: Nuts, Sprouts
• Liquids: Spring Water, Distilled Water,   100% All-Natural Fruit Juices, 100% All Natural Vegetable Juices

What to avoid...

• Meat, because Daniel wouldn't want to take the chance of eating non-kosher meat or meat that was offered to idols.
• White Rice, Fried Foods, Caffeine Carbonated Beverages  Foods Containing Preservatives or Additives Refined Sugar Sugar Substitutes White Flour and All Products
• Using Margarine, Shortening, High Fat