The Daniel Fast Prayer is a powerful practice that strengthens the mind, body, and spirit.
Learn how you can optimize your outcomes in this guide.
Christians with an established prayerful life are familiar with the Daniel Fast Prayer.
This prayer sets the standard for offering yourself to God through sincere intentions and discipline.
But how do you start this 21-day fasting with the right mindset and an enduring commitment?
Today, we will discuss how the biblical prayer Daniel fast has inspired a tradition of abstinence and exercise of faith.
What is the Daniel Fast Prayer?
The Daniel Fast Prayer is one that you need to say before embarking on a 21-day fasting.
Here’s an example:
“Father Almighty, I acknowledge that I have fallen short of your godly expectations.
Today, I seek Your grace as I begin my journey to mindful abstinence and spiritual discipline.
May Your wisdom and providence see me through this fasting period and allow a renewal of my body, mind, and soul.
I pray that Your favor may rest upon me and grant me the earnest desires enclosed in this sacrifice.
Amen.”
What is the Daniel Fast?
The Daniel Fast is a 21-day dietary restriction and disciplinary observance.
It was referenced in Daniel 10 but has a similar inspiration from Daniel 1.
In Daniel 1:12, the prophet defied King Nebuchadnezzar’s lavish diet regimen.
Instead of bulking up with meats and wine, he challenged the king to offer them only vegetables and water.
During those ten days, God’s power sustained him and his friends.
They were all visibly stronger and healthier than those who ate royal food.
Meanwhile, in Daniel 10, the prophet was overcome with grief over a vision.
He did not eat meat or wine and even avoided putting on oil.
His fasting found favor in God, and he began interpreting his vision of Persia’s future kingdom.
Inspired by these biblical accounts, we are encouraged to pray the Daniel Fast Prayer to gain God’s favor.
Sacrificing eating for strength may seem counterintuitive, yet Daniel proved it otherwise.
What to Eat on the Daniel Fast?
Most examples of the Daniel Fast Prayer guide highlight the preference for vegetables and unsweetened drinks.
Hence, you should receive your nourishment from the following:
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Fruits
- Leafy vegetables
- Root crops
- Seeds, Nuts, and Sprouts
- Unsweetened Beverages
These food items can be fresh, frozen, dried, or canned.
As for the liquids, you should watch out for added sweeteners and prefer manual juicing for consuming fleshy fruits.
Foods to Avoid on the Daniel Fast
The Daniel Fast Prayer Scripture-based diet recommends abstaining from foods that can be decadent or harmful when taken in huge amounts.
The idea is to stick to foods that will not give you cravings or distract you from your prayer and spiritual reflection.
Hence, you should avoid the following food items if you want to stay committed to fasting for 21 days:
- Meat, poultry, fish
- White rice and white flour
- Foods with additives and preservatives
- Refined sugar and artificial sweeteners
- All kinds of bread
- Margarine, shortening, and high-fat oils
- Dairy
- Junk foods
- Desserts
How to Prepare for the Daniel Fast
Like any other fasting model, the prayer Daniel Fast is not the only thing necessary to start abstinence.
It is a holistic practice that requires a holistic approach.
It would help if you were spiritually, mentally, and physically prepared to endure fasting.
Spiritual preparation
Have a specific goal in mind.
What are you trying to achieve through Daniel Fasting?
Spend time in prayers to gain clarity and purpose.
Doing this will help keep your focus on your prayer intentions and communion with God.
Mental preparation
You need to have a mindset that seeks to endure hunger and cravings.
Begin by cultivating patience while waiting for your next important meal, and establish self-control by avoiding highly palatable foods.
Physical preparation
A common misconception about Daniel Fasting is that you can instantly impose limits on your current diet.
However, you will need to wean yourself gradually from restricted foods by starting with smaller servings.
This helps avoid feelings of deprivation and fatigue.
As soon as your body has adjusted to the fewer meals, you can easily transition to the limited diet for the next 21 days.
The Daniel Fast Prayer Before Starting
“Heavenly Father, You are the source of strength and life.
I hope to receive vitality and an answer to my earnest petitions from You.
As I recognize the need to renew my soul, body, and mind, may You allow me to endure this 21-day Daniel Fast.
Let Your Word sustain me during this period of abstinence and cultivate discipline in me.
Steer me away from distractions that may tempt me to lose focus on You.
May Your favor rest in me as You replace my daily sustenance with Your wisdom and grace.
Amen.”
21-Day Daniel Fast Prayer Guide
The Daniel Fast Prayer guide aims to help you stay on track.
It lets you outline your fasting days with prayer prompts, which you can document using your journal.
This way, you will not feel overwhelmed by the amount of Bible readings and reflections necessary to complete your fasting.
If your church has provided you with a Daniel Fast Prayer PDF file, you may peruse the contents and start right away.
But if you want to personalize your approach, here’s a sample of the 21-day Daniel Fast consisting of prayer points, Bible verses, and short think pieces to reflect on.
Day 1: Pray for your family’s commitment to God.
“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” – Joshua 24:15
In a world full of distractions that are becoming our idols, let God shift your focus on strengthening your family’s allegiance to Him.
Ask Him to grant enlightenment to your children and elderly so that they may receive His favor.
Day 2: Pray for clarity and assurance among those weak in faith.
“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” – Jeremiah 32:27
It is easy to lose confidence in God when we think our requests are too grand or impossible.
Seek God’s Spirit to move in the lives of people who are starting to doubt His faithfulness.
Day 3: Pray for the nation’s healing and revival.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14
Wars, calamities, and economic challenges can make us think God is punishing us.
Call on the Lord to touch everyone’s heart so we can receive His mercy and healing.
Day 4: Pray for the conversion of unbelievers.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16
The task of the Holy Spirit is to bring enlightenment of God’s salvation.
Do your part in this mission by praying for the courage to minister effectively to people outside of the Christian faith.
Day 5: Pray for persecuted Christians.
“You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” – Matthew 10:22
Recognize the reality of Christian censorship in different parts of the world.
Ask God to grant persecuted Christians the patience to endure suffering for the reward of eternal life.
Day 6: Pray for the sick and disabled.
“And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.” – James 5:15
Reflect on how Jesus healed the sick through every manifestation of faith in Him.
Call upon God to give you the same faith that can heal people even through prayers of intercession.
Day 7: Pray for humility.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.
Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” – Philippians 2:3
Seek God’s intervention whenever you feel morally superior to others due to your Daniel Fasting commitment.
Let Him lead you to people who need help with strengthening their faith.
Day 8: Pray for self-denial.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples,
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” – Matthew 16:24
Your sacrifice, as shown in your fasting, should reflect a heart that seeks God’s glory first.
Pray that you may endure the challenges that come with denying yourself human pleasures and earthly riches.
Day 9: Pray for godly unions.
“However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” – Ephesians 5:33
Pray on behalf of married couples and yours so that you may receive God’s blessing in your respective marriages.
In an era where misunderstandings often lead to divorce, learn to intercede for couples who are having a difficult time.
Day 10: Pray for sound financial stewardship.
“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” – 2 Corinthians 9:8
Whatever you gain from this life originally belongs to God.
Let Him guide you in managing your finances so that blessings can flow from you and into other people’s lives.
Day 11: Pray for appreciation of your job/profession.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” – Colossians 3:23
Often an unappreciated blessing, your job is the prayer of the unemployed.
Allow God to instill a sense of appreciation, regardless of how you perceive your role in the office or even your church community.
Day 12: Pray for hospitality towards strangers—especially unbelievers.
“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” – Hebrews 13:2
Think about the last time you invited a nobody to your party or offered a ride to a stranded person.
What do these events say about your attitude toward strangers?
Let God show you how you can better cater to their needs, especially those who have not yet known Him.
Day 13: Pray for those who are grieving.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18
A grieving person does not always have the right words to express pain and sorrow.
Be their intercessor by praying to God to grant them the peace and comfort they need to endure hard times.
Day 14: Pray for forgiveness of other people’s mistakes.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged.
Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” – Luke 6:37
Even to His death, Jesus still forgave everyone, including the criminal crucified next to Him.
Allow this thought to sink in until you realize that you are capable of forgiving others the way Jesus had been.
Day 15: Pray for enduring peace.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” – Matthew 5:9
Often, religion and culture can be divisive.
Instead of taking sides, let God turn your heart into a peace-loving one that always champions God’s justice.
Day 16: Pray for the depressed and mentally ill.
“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.” – Psalm 126:5
You or someone you know may be grappling with depressive thoughts.
Seek God’s guidance to overcome sadness and replace it with a grateful heart.
Day 17: Pray for a godly lifestyle.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” – Romans 12:2
It is easy to get lost in the jungle of today’s civilization.
Ask God to curb your appetite for the desires of the flesh and guide you in holiness.
Day 18: Pray for unity.
“Live in harmony with one another.” – Romans 12:16
Quarrels and misunderstandings often arise among members of the community.
Allow God to preside over important meetings to agree on a highly debated issue.
Day 19: Pray for daily provision.
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19
Provision can come as either sustenance or daily income.
Ask God to renew your trust in Him as your ultimate provider.
Day 20: Pray for protection.
“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” – Psalm 91:4
Call upon God to rescue you during dangerous times and whenever your peace is threatened.
Putting Him in charge of your safety speaks a lot about your faith.
Day 21: Pray for joy.
“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” – Nehemiah 8:10
God asks you to find something to be joyful about regardless of circumstances.
Immerse in His words and discover the joy of entrusting Him with your life.
Benefits of the Daniel Fast
To hone discipline within yourself
The Daniel Fast Prayer is the key to practicing self-control and discipline.
If you can endure this period, you have achieved great lengths of self-denial.
To bring your spirit and soul closer to God
The absence of distractions and cravings helps you focus more on listening to God’s Words through prayer and fasting.
To strengthen your faith
Surprisingly, embarking on a Daniel Fast Prayer devotion renews your strength even with a restricted diet.
The phrase “where God guides, He provides” perfectly encapsulates this idea, as God knows which area of your life needs sustenance.
To achieve a healthy mind and body
Beyond the spiritual benefits, God guarantees you a healthy mind and body that get their nourishment from none other than His Words.
Coupled with dietary discipline, Daniel Fasting can yield better health results than unrestricted fasting.
How to End Your Daniel Fast?
As you end your fasting, gradually reintroduce the foods you abstained from but maintain the discipline to cut portions.
This will help cultivate your self-control while not depriving you of your usual cravings.
Conclude your abstinence period with a Daniel Fast prayer that offers gratitude and praises:
“Father God, thank You for seeing me through this fasting period. I pray that the discipline you instilled in me, along with the spiritual gifts, will stay as reminders of Your faithfulness. Amen.”
Conclusion
Through mindful eating and contemplation of God’s Words, the Daniel Fast Prayer perfectly exemplifies a prayerful life.
While it may be a short period of abstinence, it promises a holistic renewal of mind, body, and spirit.
Let this Daniel Fast Prayer guide serve as your starting point toward a more disciplined and active Christian lifestyle.
