Beloved people of God, as we stand at the doorway of a new year, the question before us is not what plans have we made, but who are we placing first. A new year is not just a change of calendar; it is a spiritual crossing, and every crossing requires an altar. Today, I speak to you about that altar, the Daniel Fast.
The Word of God tells us in Daniel 1 that Daniel ‘purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself.’ Before promotion came, before favour located him, Daniel made a decision in his spirit.
He chose God over comfort, obedience over appetite. Child of God, hear me clearly: What you deny in the flesh, God rewards in the spirit.
The Daniel Fast is not a diet. It is a declaration. It declares that God is more important than our cravings, our routines and our pleasures.
When we choose simple foods such as vegetables, fruits, grains and water, we are not doing it to impress God with what is on our plate, but we are humbling ourselves before the Almighty.
The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If My people who are called by My name shall 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 sins and heal their land.” God appreciates humility, it opens the Heavens.
In Daniel 10, Daniel fasted for 21 days and while the answer was delayed, God was never silent. The angel said to him: “From the first day you set your heart to understand, your words were heard.”
This is a word for someone entering this fast discouraged. Your prayers are heard from day one. Fasting does not move God; it positions you to receive what God has already released.
This fast is a call to prayer, a call to repentance, a call to aligning with what God has planned for you. This is a season where we say, “Lord, search me, cleanse me, lead me.”
When you fast, strongholds start to break. When you fast, you get clarity. When you fast, the voice of God becomes louder than the noise of wordily things.
Yes, your body will feel weak, but your spirit will rise. Yes, the flesh will complain, but the anointing will increase. Do not abandon the fast because of discomfort; breakthrough is often wrapped in sacrifice.
The benefits are not only spiritual for those who take up the Daniel fast many experience healing, discipline and renewed strength but our focus must remain on God, not the gain.
Bazalwane, approach this fast with intention. Pray daily, read the Word of God. Worship even when you feel tired. If your health requires adjustment, remember this: God looks at the heart before He looks at the method.
As we lay the New Year on the altar through the Daniel Fast, I declare this over you:
The same God who honoured Daniel will honour you. May your prayers be answered, your steps ordered and your year established by God. Seek Him first, and everything else will fall into place.
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