Simply stated, biblical fasting is refraining from food for a spiritual purpose

We encourage you to fast with us during this time. We believe that sacrificing unto God the very first portion of our year sets us up for giving Him our all during the entire year. During the fast write down things you desire to give unto the Lord and to receive from the Lord. Be specific. Specific areas we will be focusing on together -corporately-are leadership in the church & in government, the new location and the surrounding harvest field– the saving & setting free of the lost, spiritual growth, numerical growth & financial growth. The book of Isaiah, tells us that the chosen fast will “undo the heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free.” We are living in tough economic times and we know that so many people are under a financial burden. As we come together to fast and pray, we believe that your burdens will be lifted and that financial blessings will be released into your life!

Are you in need of healing or a miracle? Do you need the tender touch of God in your life? Is there a dream inside you that only He can make possible? Are you in need of a fresh encounter? Do you desire a deeper, more intimate and powerful relationship with the Lord? Are you ready to have heightened sensitivity to the desires of God? Do you need to break away from bondages that have been holding you hostage? Is there a friend or loved one that needs Salvation? Do you desire to know God’s will for your life?

For Fasting: Matthew 6:16-18, Matthew 9:14-15, Luke 18:9-14 Relation to Prayer and Reading of the Word: 1 Samuel 1:6-8, 17-18, Nehemi-ah 1:4, Daniel 9:3, 20, Joel 2:12, Luke 2:37, Acts 10:30,Acts 13:2 Corporate Fasting: 1 Samuel 7:5-6, Ezra 8:21-23, Nehemiah 9:1-3, Joel 2:15-16, Jonah 3:5- 10, Acts 27:33-37

How to Begin Start with a clear goal. Be specific. Why are you fasting? Do you need direction, healing, restoration of marriage or family issues? Are you facing financial difficulties? Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. Pray daily and read the Bible. Preparing Spiritually Confess your sins to God. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of weakness. Forgive all who have offended you and ask forgiveness from those you may have offended (Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4; 17:3-4). Surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ and reject the worldly desires that try to hinder you (Romans 12:1-2). Avoid distractions. This is a sacred time between you and God, so avoid distractions as much as possible. Pray. Your days should be filled with unselfish prayer. During the fast, increase the frequency of your daily prayer time by a factor of three or more. Reserve time with God during the day by studying the Bible. Seek the Lord diligently for His guidance in your life. Deciding What to Fast The type of fasting you choose is up to you. You could go on a full fast in which you only drink liquids, or you may desire to fast like Daniel, who abstained from sweets and meats, and the only liquid he drank was water. Remember to replace that time with prayer and Bible study.

WHY WE FAST

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF TO HELPUNDERSTAND WHY WE FAST

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

QUICK TIPS

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Deciding How Long You may fast as long as you like. Most can easily fast from one to three days, but you may feel the grace to go longer, even as much as 21 to 40 days. Use wisdom and pray for guidance. Beginners are advised to start slow.

What to Expect When you fast your body detoxifies, eliminating toxins from your system. This can cause mild discomfort such as headaches and irritabil-ity during withdrawal from caffeine and sugars. And naturally, you will have hunger pains. Limit your activity and exercise moderately. Take time to rest. Fasting brings about miraculous results. You are following Jesus’ example when you fast. Spend time listening to praise and worship. Pray as often as you can throughout the day. Get away from the normal distractions as much as possible and keep your heart and mind set on seeking God’s face. Re-member that it is the attitude of a heart sincerely seeking Him to which God responds with a blessing (Isaiah 58, Jeremiah 14:12, 1 Corinthians 8:8). May God greatly bless you as you fast!

How to End Don’t overeat when the time comes to end your fast. Begin eat-ing solid food gradually; eat small portions or snacks.

1 TIMOTHY 2:1-2 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” ROMANS 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your rea-sonable service.”

MATTHEW 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

ISAIAH 58:6 “[Is] not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?”

We want to encourage you to target your prayers during the fast. You have been given a free Daniel Fast Devotional to assist you.

Another great promise, from the book of Isaiah, proclaims that the chosen fast will “undo the heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free.” As we come together to fast and pray, we believe that your burdens will be lifted, every oppressive chain will be broken & you will experience His Spirit like nev-er before and that financial blessings will be released into your life!

We encourage you to seek the Lord in prayer and let your decisions about your biblical fasting come from Him. Ask the Lord to show you areas to target during your time of fasting and prayer. We believe that, as we pray and seek God and give Him our best at the first of the year, He will bless our ENTIRE year (Matthew 6:33)!

As you prepare for the next several days, it can be tempting to start thinking of a laundry list of prayers you’d love to see answered. But we really want to encourage you to keep this simple. Think about the top two or three things most pressing on your heart and zone in on those with God. Write these down and be open to hearing what God wants to show you in those areas. The breakthroughs, miracles, and answers to your prayers will be by products of drawing closer to Jesus. When praying, make your primary goal to know Jesus more and ex-perience Him. Pray prayers of total surrender, and aim to glorify God with your life. Focus first on what’s right about Him, such as his good-ness and His greatness, and see everything else through that filter. And most simply, make time to pray daily. Don’t overcomplicate this! Just talk to God. Have that place and time where you can seek Him every day. If you don’t plan to pray, you won’t. If you find it a challenge to disconnect from the busyness of your day, engaging in worship music is a great way to prepare your heart for prayer.

BIBLICAL FASTING FOCUSPRAYER

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*Important Note: Fasting requires reasonable precautions. If you have any health concerns, please consult your physician prior to beginning your fast, especially if you are taking any medication, have a chronic condition, or are pregnant or nursing a baby.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind before getting started… Start Where You Are We are all at different places in our walk with God. Likewise our jobs, daily schedules, and health conditions are all different and place various levels of demands on our energy. So most importantly, whether you’ve fasted before or this is your first time, start where you are. Your personal fast should present a level of challenge to it, but it’s very import-ant to know your own body, know your options and, most importantly, seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do. Remember, the goal of fasting is not just to do without food. The goal is to draw nearer to God.

The Daniel fast is a great model to follow and one that is extremely effective for spiritual focus, bodily discipline, and purification of the body and soul. It is probably one of the most commonly referred-to fasts; however, within the Daniel fast there is room for broad interpretation. In the book of Daniel we find two different times where the prophet Daniel fasted. Daniel 1 states that he only ate vegetables and water, and in Daniel 10, while the passage does not give a specific list of foods that Daniel ate, it does state that he ate no rich (or choice) foods, as well as no meat or wine. So based on these two verses, we can see that either of these, or combinations of the two, constitute a Daniel fast. The foundation of the Daniel fast is fruits and vegetables. Some starchy veg-etables and dairy could be included, but that depends on the individual. Your goal should be to seek God in prayer about this and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.

Apples Apricots Avocados Bananas Berries Blackberries Blueberries Boysenberries Breadfruit Cantaloupe Cherries CoconutsCranberries Dates

Figs Grapefruit Grapes Grenadine Guava Honeydew melons Kiwi Lemons Limes Mangoes Melons Mulberry Nectarines

Oats

Olives Oranges Papayas Peaches Pears Pineapples Plums Prunes Raisins Raspberries Strawberries Tangelos

Artichokes Asparagus Beets Broccoli Brussel sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chili peppers Collard greens Corn Cucumbers

Eggplant Garlic Ginger root Kale Leeks Lettuce Mushrooms Mustard greens Okra Onions Parsley Peppers Potatoes

Radishes Rutabagas Scallions Spinach Sprouts Squashes Sweet potatoes Tomatoes Turnips Watercress Yams Zucchini

FASTING FOODS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR DIET DURING THE DANIEL FAST…

THE DANIEL FAST

All fruits: These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned (watch for added sugar).

All Vegetables: These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned (watch salt content).

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All Legumes: Dried beans Black beans Cannellini Pinto beans Split peas Lentils Black eyed peas Green beans Green peas

Kidney beans Peanuts (includes natural peanut butter) Beans Lentils Lupines White Peas Seeds:

All nuts (raw, unsalted) Sprouts Ground flax Cashews Walnuts Sunflower Sesame Almonds Natural Almond Butter

Whole Grains: Whole wheat Brown rice Millet Quinoa Oats

Rolled Oats 5 Plain Oatmeal- not instant Barley Grits (no butter) Whole wheat pasta

Whole wheat tortillas Plain Rice cakes Popcorn (see recipe in FAQ’s)

All animal products includ-ing all meat, poultry, fish… White rice White bread All deep fried foods Caffeine Coffee (including de-caf b/c contains small amount of caffeine) Carbonated beverages Energy drinks Foods containing preservatives, additives

Refined foods Processed foods Food additives Refined sugar Sugar substitutes Raw sugar Syrups Molasses Cane juice White flour Margarine Shortening High fat products

Butter All leavened breads Baked goods All dairy Milk Cheese Yogurt Cream Eggs Alcohol Mayonnaise

Other: TofuSoy productsHerbsSmall amounts of Honey if Bread necessary

Small amounts of Sea Saltonly if necessarySmall amounts of EzekielSmall amounts of Olive Oil

Spices (read the label to be sure there are no Preser-vatives

Liquids: Water (spring, distilled, filtered)

Foods to avoid on the Daniel Fast…

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What about prepared foods? Read the labels of all prepared foods. Remember the Daniel Fast is sug-ar-free and chemical-6 free. So, if you use any canned fruits, vegetables, packaged foods, or prepared sauces you must read the label to be aware about just what is in there. What about pasta? Make sure the label says whole grain pasta with no additives (watch for sugar). Whole grain pasta offers 7 grams of protein per serving (3/4 cup of dried pasta).

I know it says raw, unsalted nuts, but what about roasted nuts? The goal would be to stick to raw, unsalted nuts. But these are harder to find so in a pinch just make sure you get plain roasted, unsalted nuts with no preservatives. How do I get enough protein in my diet while on the fast? The following are protein-rich foods that are allowed on the Daniel Fast… almonds, sunflower seeds, lentils, quinoa, brown rice, split peas, whole grains, and tofu. Whey powder may also be taken for extra protein. What kind of peanut butter is allowed? A natural peanut butter with no additives…watch for sugars including molas-ses. Smucker’s creamy natural peanut butter has nothing but peanuts in it. What about popcorn? Corn is listed in the vegetables to eat list, so popcorn may be eaten

How can I identify whole grain foods? Typically if the ingredient lists “whole wheat”, “rolled oats”, or “whole corn” as the first ingredient, the product is a whole grain food item. Another way to identify whole grains in the foods you eat is to look in the nutritional facts information and check if the food item contains dietary fiber. If it contains a significant amount, it most likely contains whole grains. “Wheat flour” is not a whole grain and therefore does not indicate a whole grain product.

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What about salad dressing? Olive oil and lemon or lime are options. We have provided a salad dressing recipe for you on our one week meal plan. Do I need to eat organic foods while on the fast? No, but it is suggested because organic foods are produced without the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin and without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides. Where can I go out to eat? Well, we think you can go anywhere and order cautiously, asking lots of questions to the wait staff, knowing ahead of time that you may be order-ing a salad with olive oil and a baked potato with no extras. What about bread? No bread is allowed on the Daniel Fast

How much can I eat? As long as they are the appropriate foods, we are recommending eating until satisfied with no limits.

Strict fasting while pregnant or nursing is not recommended. If you are in this incredible season of life but would like to participate in the seven-day plan, here are some great options for you to consider—with the approval of your physician: A modified Daniel fast including whole grains, legumes, whey protein, calcium, and iron supplements Fasting sweets and desserts Fasting red meat Fasting certain diversions (television shows, movies, social media such as Facebook/Twitter, video games, and so on) If you are a pregnant or nursing mother, your priority is the health and the development of the baby God has entrusted you with. Make that your guideline and go from there. And please consult your doctor.

If you have struggled with an eating disorder, this situation is a battle of the mind you can win through Christ (Philippians 4:13). Remember, fasting is a tool used to get closer to God, and it actually should keep us from being preoccu-pied with food. If your method of fasting is going to cause you to obsess about what you eat in any way, you will need to change either your approach or your mindset. If giving up food is a stumbling block to you, then consider fasting of television, reading (other than the Bible, of course), social media, or shopping. There are many distractions and ways that we use to stay in control that we could eliminate from our daily routine. We do these things to distract ourselves from the real issues hurting us. If you can identify such other things, maybe you can give those up instead of food.

Remember that you are covered by God’s grace. God will show you what to do. His “yoke is easy” and His “burden is light” (Matt 11:30). His way will bring rest to your soul.

To keep your energy up throughout the day, it’s important to eat or drink every two and a half to three hours. If you go longer than that, you can expe-rience an energy lull and be tempted to overstuff yourself at your next meal. Even if you’re fasting on fruits and vegetables, overstuffing is never a smart thing to do.

It is very important to drink lots of water while fasting. Drinking about one hun-dred ounces of water per day will help to support your critical liver function. The liver is the filter for the body, so when you don’t drink enough water, the liver doesn’t function at its highest capacity. If you’re drinking fruit juices, try to go as natural as possible, and don’t drink ones heavily processed and laden with sugar. Remember to not let food become the focus of your fast, but make wise eating choices. It’s best to use a juicer to extract juices from veg-etables and fruits & to drink that juice rather than buying juices with extras.

FASTING WHILE NURSING OR PREGNANT

FASTING AND EATING DISORDERS

WATER & ENERGY

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Here are some other ideas that can help make your fasting experience more pleasant and helpful: As you select your type of fast, make a fasting calendar that fits your plan. Determine what each day and week will look like.

Keep your fridge and pantry stocked with the items you need. Being un-prepared to fast sets you up to give into temptation. Choose well when selecting products, stick to raw food as much as you can, and limit artificial ingredients.

Make it a priority to attend church during your seven day fast. Being around other believers will encourage you to keep on going when fasting gets difficult.

If you mess up, don’t get discouraged. Just get right back on track and keep going. God’s mercies “are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22–23). He wants you to finish, and He will give you the grace and strength to do it .

Just like prayer and fasting, reading your Bible is about connecting to God in a more powerful way. It is not about duty but about relationship. When we en-gage God through reading His Word, we engage the very presence of God. His Word is living and active! As we read our Bible, we are drawing closer to God and positioning ourselves to hear from Him in particular ways. Once again, as with prayer, choose the time and the place where you are going to read your Bible and devotional every single day, and come pre-pared to hear what He wants to tell you.

Food Guidelines for a Daniel Fast

Foods You May 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, Canta-loupe, Cherries, Cranberries, Oats, Figs, Grapefruit, Grapes, Guava, Honey-dew 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, Ginger-root, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onions, Parsley, Potatoes, Radishes, Rutabagas, Scallions, Spinach, Sprouts, Squashes, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watercress, Yams, Zucchini, veggie burgers are an option if you not allergic to soy Liquids: Spring Water, Distilled Water, 100% All-Natural Fruit Juices, 100% All Natural Vegetable Juices. You may also drink protein drinks. Others: Seeds, Nuts, Sprouts

Foods to Avoid:MeatWhite Rice Fried Foods CaffeineCarbonated Beverages Foods Containing Preservatives or Additives Refined Sugar Sugar Substitutes White Flour and All Products Using It Margarine, Shortening, High Fat Products

FINAL FASTING TIPS

PERSONAL DEVOTIONS

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Monday 22nd January - First Fruit Offering The best of all firstfruits of any kind, and every sacrifice of any kind from all your sacrifices, shall be the priest’s; also you shall give to the priest the first of your ground meal, to cause a blessing to rest

on your house. Ezekiel 44:30

Today is the first day of your fast. You are consecrating yourself, setting your-self apart, for this 7-day period to focus on the Lord. You are dedicating this time at the beginning of the year as a “first fruit offering” to God. There are many ways to make first fruit offerings. By dedicating the first part of the New Year to prayer and fasting, you are giving the Lord your first fruit of time. In Ezekiel 44:30 we learn that the first fruit is to be the priest’s. So as you give this first period of time to your High Priest, Jesus Christ, you are saying, “Lord, I put you first in my life.” Many also give a first fruit offering of their resources, just as God instructed the Israelites to do of their produce. And the promised reward was “a blessing to rest on your house.” You will recall that Cain and Able gave offerings to the Lord. Able gave the firstborn of his flock and it pleased the Lord. But Cain’s heart was not right before the Lord. Scholars conclude that his offering was not the best he had to offer, but rather leftovers. God rejected this offering. Is God calling you to make adjustments in our life so that He is first in every area? This period of prayer and fasting is a perfect time to hear the Lord and how very much He desires you and your life. Open your heart to Him and seek His wisdom and counsel. He will show you and guide you as you draw closer to Him and His ways. PRAYER FOR YOURSELF:Ask God to show you areas in which you need to make adjustments so that that He becomes first in those areas. Pray for your family to put Him first.

PRAYER FOR GOD’S KINGDOM:Pray that we will seek God’s Kingdom first as a nation. The ‘first’ also refers to those in charge – our leaders. Prayer for the leadership of our nation, for God to have His way.

PRAYER FOR NEW LIFE CHURCH:Pray for each person who is a part of New Life Church, to put God first in every area of their lives. Pray for our Church leaders and pastors, that God will have His way in their lives and strengthen them,.

Tuesday 23rd January - Make a Living Sacrifice “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a liv-ing and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly

the way to worship him.” Romans 12:1

My, those are powerful words. They are saying something about how we are treating our bodies and that we need to adjust our behaviours. The Daniel Fast Guidelines is a healthy eating plan. And now, we have an opportunity to truly present our bodies as a living sacrifice unto the Lord.Consider the exercise you completed yesterday, you are a spirit, you have a soul, and you live in a body. So what part of you - your spirit or your soul (which consists of your mind, will and emotions), is in control of your body most of the time? There are many times when we give in to cravings or don’t make healthy food choic-es. These are times when we allow our souls to have control of our bodies. That’s when emotional eating comes into play or the old “those chips just taste so good” wins out over better food choices. During this 7-Day Daniel Fast, we are presenting our physical bodies, along with our spirits and our souls, as living sacrifices unto the Lord. Hopefully we will gain new and healthier eating habits that continue long after the fasting period ends. PRAYER FOR YOURSELF:Take a few minutes right now and think about your body. Look at your hands, your arms, your legs, and your torso. Whose body is it? Have you offered it to the Lord before? Use this occasion to dedicate your physical body to the Lord. In fact, go right now and stand in front of a mirror. Talk to the Lord and tell Him that on this day you are presenting your body as a living sacrifice to Him. Read the Scripture from Romans 12:1 out loud. Even if you are not in the best shape, give your body to the Lord and as you dedicate yourself to Him, you will certainly see your health improve, your weight getting under control, and your energy level soar! PRAYER FOR GOD’S KINGDOM:Pray for the Body of Christ throughout the world – to be healthy and strong. Pray for those parts of the Body of Christ who are being persecuted.

PRAYER FOR NEW LIFE CHURCH:Pray for our Church to be a healthy, strong, vibrant Body of Believers.

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Wednesday 24th January - Not by Bread Alone “Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He an-swered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Mat-

thew 4:3, 4

Wow! You are now 3 days into your Daniel Fast. You are likely starting to get over the big hunger pangs. But bread is still out of your diet and perhaps this passage of Scripture is even more meaningful to you. One of the benefits of the Daniel Fast is that we become more aware of what we are eating. Hopefully this awareness will create healthy habits that will improve your health for months and years to come. We can also become more. aware of what we feed out spirits and our souls. Are they well nourished? Are we feeding them wholesome food and not contaminated goods? Jesus teaches us that we don’t live only by physical bread, but even more impor-tantly the spiritual food found in God’s Word. Just as our physical body needs to be nourished each and every day, so does our spirit. The mainstay of that nutrition is the Bible and then we can have “side dishes” from Christian books, sermons, Bible studies, and Christian television. But we need to make sure we have time every day in God’s Holy Word so He can speak to us and minister to us. Likewise, we need to make sure we are feeding our soul a healthy diet that brings life and not death. Our Father tells us that we have a choice between life and death and He says, “Choose life!” That includes the kinds of information that enters our minds through the media, Internet, television, books, conversations and other influences we encounter. Just as we need to guard our bodies and make wise choices about what we eat, we must also guard our eyes and our ears as to what is allowed to enter our souls. The more you feed your spirit with the Word of God, the better you will be able to care of your soul and your body. Make sure your spirit is well-fed then carefully choose the food you present to your soul and your body.

PRAYER FOR YOURSELF:Do you have some “inputs” that may not be giving you the best food for your soul? Are the programs you watch on television healthy and pure? Or are they contaminated and laced with toxic information. How about the Internet? The radio? The books your read? Or the conversations you have with friends? Spend time in prayer asking God to cleanse you from the wrong ‘inputs’

PRAYER FOR GOD’S KINGDOM:Pray for open doors for the Word of God to be preached in the world, especially in countries that do not allow this to happen

PRAYER FOR NEW LIFE CHURCH:Pray that we will move out boldly and spread God’s Word in our city and region. Pray that we will plant more Churches

Thursday 25th January - Living Water John 7:37-39

37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shout-ed to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to Me!

38 Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink! For the Scrip-tures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ “

39 (When He said “living water,” He was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

Water is a primary element in the Daniel Fast. It is one of the beverages we consume (the others are: pure vegetable and fruit juices). Even when we aren’t fasting, the hu-man body depends on safe water for life. In this passage, Jesus teaches us about a different kind of water – living water from the Holy Spirit. He tells us to come to Him when we are thirsty and drink from Him.

Just as a new believer is immersed in the water at Baptism, so Jesus completely immerses the believer in the Holy Spirit to give him/her the dynamic for effective Christian witness and service. Your conversion was the work of the Holy Spirit imparting new life to you. This further experience is a complete immersion into the Holy Spirit that enables you to effectively communicate your new life with others in a supernatural way. It was the Holy Spirit’s power that changed the disciples from un-stable, powerless followers of Christ, to consistent, fearless witnesses for Him. We, too, need this power. (Acts 1:8)

The early Church saw the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as an experience to be re-ceived near the beginning of a person’s Christian life. It was in no sense a mark of maturity in itself, but merely the gateway into a life of effective service and witness for Jesus. If you have been filled with the Spirit – then seek a fresh infilling every day. Ephesians 5:18 literally says, “be continuously filled with the Spirit”.

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As you proceed through the Daniel Fast, consider the source of the water you take into your heart. Is it the living water of Jesus or the contaminated water from the world? Choose life! Choose the baptism in the Holy Spirit. He is safe, sweet, and truly quenches your thirst.

PRAYER FOR YOURSELF:If you have not yet received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, come to Jesus today and ask Him to fill you. If you have already been filled – ask Him for a fresh infilling and a new anointing

PRAYER FOR GOD’S KINGDOM:Pray for a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the world, as it was on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2)

PRAYER FOR NEW LIFE CHURCH:Pray for those who have not yet received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit in our Church, to receive. Pray for a mighty move of the Holy Spirit in our Churches.

Friday 26th January - Take Every Thought Captive

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” 2 Corinthi-

ans 10:4, 5

Throughout the Daniel Fast, I hope you have become more aware of who you are: You are a spirit. You have a soul. You live in a body.

In the passage above, we are reminded that our weapons and the war we fight are not of the flesh or in the physical world. Instead, they are of the Spirit and in the spiritual realm. The Word of God points us to the Kingdom of God -- a reality that surrounds us and that is in us! It’s a totally new way of thinking and different to how our carnal, fleshly mind thinks.

So as we work to change our flesh and our minds into Kingdom living, we must align every thought with the Word of God. Over and over again every day, we should ask ourselves, “What does God have to say about this?” Every thought that is contrary to God’s Way must be “taken captive” and then changed so that it aligns with the Word of God.

When a fearful thought comes into our minds . . . we take that lie, turn to the Word, find the promise, and then declare the truth. When the enemy tells us we’re no good or defeated . . . we take that lie, turn to the Word, find the promise, and then declare the truth. When all the circumstances around us scream defeat and failure . . . we take that lie, turn to the Word, find the promise, and then declare the truth. Taking every thought captive is a discipline. We must guard our hearts and minds. We must be alert to every notion that enters our way of thinking and then measure it with God’s Word which wins the contest every time!

PRAYER FOR YOURSELF:What are the lies that you may be thinking about yourself, your circumstances or about others - which you need to ‘take captive’. Ask God to help you to think about those things from His perspective

PRAYER FOR GOD’S KINGDOM:Pray that the Body of Christ will see the world and see people as God sees them. That He will give us His Vision and His thoughts

PRAYER FOR NEW LIFE CHURCH:Pray that God will give us as a Church His Vision and Thoughts for every situation, for people and every project that He wants us to do as a Church

Saturday 27th January - It Wasn’t About the Money!

“And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 19:24

The “eye of a needle” was likely a reference to a gate in the wall surrounding the city of Jerusalem called “Needle’s Eye.” It was so low that a camel would have to be unloaded of all that it carried and then get down on its knees to get through to the other side.

It isn’t the money in itself that keeps a rich man from entering the kingdom of God! Rather, it is where the rich man places his dependence. Jesus is saying that people with money often rely on their wealth to solve all their problems. They don’t sense a need for God or His way of living.

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We see the same thing today. People are so focused on making and spending money, that they don’t even consider God! Their self-worth isn’t measured by their character or their relationship with the Father, but rather their position, their posses-sions, and the people they know. The priorities of the “world” are easily observed by just flipping through a magazine, clicking on google, or channel surfing on television. The absence of God is very ap-parent! Sadly, even Christ Followers often look to the world’s system for directions and ways of living. Consequently, God’s plan for our lives goes untapped and unmet. But we have a choice. We can examine our hearts and present them to the Holy Spirit who will show us where we need to change. We can make Christ the Lord of our finances and the Overseer of our spending.

PRAYER FOR YOURSELF:Open your heart to the Lord today in the area of your finances. Is the Lord your Source? Is He your Provider? Examine yourself and ask the Holy Spirit to help you draw even closer to the Lord by submitting this area of your life to Him

PRAYER FOR GOD’S KINGDOM:Pray for our country, our city and our region - for jobs to be provided and for prosper-ity to come to businesses. Pray that people will look to God as their source of provision

PRAYER FOR NEW LIFE CHURCH:Pray for the financial provision of our local Church and New Life Nelspruit. Pray that we will have the finances and resources for all that God wants us to do.

Sunday 28th January – Going Deeper“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians

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I think we all can agree, these are turbulent times we’re living in. Whether we look at the economy, the crime rate, societal issues, politics, world affairs, or the pres-sures we face day to day. By the world’s standards these are very shaky, unstable days.

That’s why this word from the Apostle Paul is so right on for us today. To find our stability, we must be rooted and established in Christ and His ways so that when we come up against pressures, concerns or trials, we are able to put our faith in Him. He is able to build us up and keep us strong. How do we get rooted and built up in Christ? It’s by bringing Him into number one position in every part of our lives. That includes our marriages, parenting, friend-ships, careers, work, finances, entertainment, volunteerism, study , and plans for our future. “Lord, what do You have to say about this,” should be constantly on our tongue. Seeking God’s wisdom in His Word should be a normal practice for us. And when we still don’t know what to do, we need to get some Godly counsel from respected and mature Christians like our pastor or good friends. Rooted means going deep! Investing the time and energy into getting to know God and His Ways. Devoting time with Him so we can have an intimate relationship with Him. And the deeper those roots can dig down, the more stable we will be. We will be able to stand strong during trials and tribulations. We won’t be knocked off centre when storms enter our lives. We will know what to do and where to go. PRAYER FOR YOURSELF:How can you become more rooted in Christ? What are three things you can do to increase your knowledge of Him and His Ways? Take a few minutes and make some plans to grow in Christ so that when times of trouble come, you will be ready!

PRAYER FOR GOD’S KINGDOM:Pray for people to come to know Christ. Mention people by name that you know, who don’t have a personal, intimate relationship with Him

PRAYER FOR NEW LIFE CHURCH:Pray for the Spiritual Growth of our members, that each person in our congregation will desire to go deeper in their Christian walk

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DANIEL FAST WEEK ONE SUGGESTED MEAL PLAN

BREAKFAST Baked Oatmeal Nutty Fruit Cereal Strawberry-Banana Smoothie

APPETIZERS and SNACKS Broiled Polenta Squares Corn Muffins Date Honey Hummus Trail Mix

VEGETABLES Sweet Potato Hash Browns Garlic Spring Peas with Leeks Tarragon Roasted Asparagus

SALADS, SOUPS, AND MAIN DISHES Mega Greek Salad Brown Rice Stir-fry with Orange Sauce Sweet spinach salad Chunky Potato Soup Tuscan Soup Antipasto Pizza Pie Black Bean Chili Bake Romaine Wraps

RECIPES:Daniel Fast Baked Oatmeal Recipe 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk ½ cup unsweetened applesauce ¼ cup chopped dried apricots ¼ cup chopped dates or raisins ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Transfer to an 8 by 8-inch baking dish that has been lightly rubbed with olive oil. Pour oatmeal mixture into dish and bake 45-50 minutes or until slightly browned and crispy on top. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 squares)

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie #14 ounces extra-firm tofu 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk or soy milk 1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice 2 tablespoons Date Honey 1 cup sliced strawberries 1 frozen banana, peeled, sliced (about 1 cup) Place all ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. Yield: 2 servings (serving size: about 1 cup or 8 ounces) Recipe Notes To prepare banana ahead of time, remove peel and place in a plastic zip-lock bag until frozen. Instead of using Date Honey, soak 3-4 Medjool dates in warm water at room temperature for an hour before adding to blender.

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie #21 cup unsweetened almond milk 1 frozen banana, peeled and sliced (about 1 cup) 1 cup whole frozen strawberries (about 6 strawberries)

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1 Medjool date, pitted Place all ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. Yield: 2 servings (serving size: about 1 cup or 225g)Recipe NotesTo prepare banana ahead of time, remove peel and place in a plastic zip-lock bag until frozen.

Nutty Fruit Cereal 1 banana, peeled and sliced (about 1 cup) 1/3 cup fresh blueberries 1 tablespoon chopped almonds 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts 1 teaspoon unsweetened coconut flakes ½ cup unsweetened almond or rice milk Place banana slices in a bowl and top with blueberries, almonds, walnuts, and coconut flakes. Pour in almond milk. Yield: 1 serving (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups) Recipe Notes Substitute chopped pecans for the almonds or walnuts. Enjoy as a fruit and nut snack without the almond milk.

Broiled Polenta Squares 6 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal 1 teaspoon dried basil or oregano 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Heat water to boiling in a large saucepan. Add salt. Reduce heat to bring water to a simmer; slowly pour polenta in a thin stream into the saucepan. Stir constantly with a whisk to prevent clumping. After adding all the polenta, stir with a wooden spoon until the polenta is thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan; this may take 15-20 minutes. For best results, stir constantly until the polenta has reached this consistency. Add basil and garlic powder. Stir well. Wet a paper towel, and rub the bottom and sides of a 22 x 30cm casserole dish with water to prevent sticking. Once polenta has cooked, transfer it to the dish.

With a rubber spatula, press polenta until it is well packed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or until completely cooled. Preheat oven to broil setting. Using a paper towel, rub a large 27 x 43cm baking sheet with olive oil and set aside. Remove casserole dish from refrigerator and cut polenta into squares. Place squares on prepared baking sheet, and place about 8cm under broiler. Bake 15 minutes, flip, and bake 15 minutes more. Both sides should be crispy before serving.

Date Honey 1 cup pitted dates (about 6-8 Medjool or 18-20 Deglet Noor) 1 cup water ½ teaspoon cinnamon Pour dates and water into a small saucepan, making sure dates are com-pletely covered (add additional water if necessary). Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 45-60 minutes or until dates are very soft and broken down. Remove from heat, and allow to cool slightly for about 15 minutes. Pour mixture (including liquid) into a blender or food processor and puree until completely smooth. Sprinkle in cinnamon and stir well. Store in a sealed container in refrigerator. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 1 tablespoon)

Trail Mix 1 cup whole raw almonds or Cinnamon-Roasted Almonds 1 cup cashew halves & pieces 1 cup walnut halves 1/2 cup golden raisins 1/2 cup raisins 1/4 cup raw sunflower seed kernels 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) Mix ingredients together, and store in an airtight container for 2 weeks at room temperature or 1 month in refrigerator. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 1/4 cup) Recipe Notes Use as a topping for fresh fruit. Serve with unsweetened almond milk for a quick breakfast dish. Other dried fruit options are apricots, bananas, blueberries, dates, or figs. Add unsweetened coconut flakes

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Confetti Hummus (425g) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained ½ cup chopped canned artichokes, drained ½ cup chopped jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained ¼ cup tahini ¼ cup water 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup fresh parsley, packed ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground cumin Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process, scraping sides of bowl often, until mixture is a smooth paste. Refrigerate or serve immedi-ately. Yield: 10 servings (serving size: about ¼ cup)

Corn Muffins 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal 1/2 cup unsweetened almond or rice milk 1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon Date Honey (optional) 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 3/4 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels 1/4 cup chopped green onions (green parts only) 1/2 teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Mix cornmeal, almond milk, water, Date Hon-ey, and olive oil in a medium bowl. Stir until smooth. Add corn, green onions, and salt. Stir until well combined. Lightly rub a mini-muffin tin with olive oil. Fill all 24 cups about 3/4 full. Bake 15 minutes. If using a regular muffin tin, fill all 12 cups about 3/4 full and bake 20 minutes. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2 mini-muffins or 1 regular muffin)

Garlic Spring Peas with Leeks 3 cups water 1 pound fresh or frozen spring peas 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped leeks (light green and white parts only) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper On stovetop, heat water in medium saucepan to boiling. Place peas in boil-ing water, and cover. Bring to a second boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 6-8 minutes. While peas are cooking, heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic, and cook 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Drain peas, and stir in leeks, salt, and pepper. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup) Recipe Notes To use leeks, trim off root end and dark green portion, and discard. Cut leek down the middle and then slice into pieces of desired width. Place leek pieces in a colan-der or large bowl, and rinse under cold water. Use your hand to separate pieces to remove any traces of dirt. Let leeks drain, or place on a paper towel to dry. Use chopped onion instead of leeks. Add basil or oregano. You can also lightly steam the peas instead of boiling them.

Tarragon Roasted Asparagus 1 pound asparagus, trimmed (36-40 thin spears or 18-20 thick spears) 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon tarragon 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 220 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray, and place asparagus spears on sheet in one layer. Brush with olive oil. Combine tarragon, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle over spears, and then roll to coat well. Roast 15 minutes. Yield: 6 servings (serving size about 6-7 thin spears or 3-4 thick spears)

Sweet Potato Hash Browns 1 ½ pounds sweet potato, peeled, shredded 1 cup chopped onion 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided Mix sweet potatoes and onions in a large bowl. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-low to medium heat in a large skillet. Add about half of the sweet potatoes and onions, and stir to coat. Press with a spatula to flatten. Cook about 7-8 minutes; do not stir. Flip, and cook another 3-5 minutes.

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If you don’t have a grater, use your hands to crumble tofu into small pieces. Other topping ideas: diced green peppers, mushrooms, onions, spinach or zucchini.

Brown Rice Stir-fry with Orange Sauce 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups chopped broccoli (stems and florets) or ½ 16-ounce bag cut broccoli, cooked 1 cup chopped carrots ½ cup chopped onion ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup unsweetened orange juice 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger root or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger 3 cups cooked brown rice >¼ cup toasted chopped walnuts 2 tablespoons chopped green onion Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add broccoli, carrots, and onions. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes, stirring oc-casionally. Increase heat to medium high. Add soy sauce, orange juice, garlic, ginger root, brown rice, walnuts, and green onions. Cook another 5 minutes or until heated through, and serve. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 ¼ cups) Recipe Notes Use a cheese grater for the ginger root. Add 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained.

Mega Greek Salad 4 cups torn Romaine lettuce 1 cup sliced artichokes (about 4 canned hearts) 1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes 1 cup quartered cucumber slices 1 cup sliced olives1/2 cup diced green bell peppers 1/2 cup sliced red onions 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, lightly packed Dressing: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons dried oregano

Remove from skillet, and set aside. Repeat to cook remaining vegetables. When done, combine the two batches in the skillet. Cook another 2-3 min-utes, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about ½ cup) Recipe NotesTo shred potatoes, it’s best to use a food processor (shredding disc attach-ment), although you can do it by hand. Variation: Use a combination of sweet potatoes and Yukon Gold or russet pottoes. Makes a great breakfast dish!

Antipasto Pizza Pie Crust: 3 cups cooked brown rice 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup oat flour (see Recipe Notes) 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder Sauce: 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano teaspoon dried parsley 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder Toppings: 1/4 cup chopped canned artichoke hearts, drained 1/4 cup chopped black olives 1/4 cup chopped jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained ounces extra-firm tofu, grated (about 1/2 cup) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Mix rice, olive oil, oat flour, garlic powder, and onion powder in a large bowl. Stir well. Rub bottom and sides of a pie plate with olive oil. Press rice evenly over bottom and up about 2.5cm along sides to make the crust. Bake 8-10 minutes or until rice is lightly browned. Com-bine tomato sauce, basil, oregano, parsley, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Spread over crust, and top with artichokes, olives, and peppers. Sprinkle grat-ed tofu and parsley over all. Bake 10 minutes. Let pie rest 5 minutes so slices stay intact when you serve them. Yield: 4-6 servings (serving size: 1-2 slices pie) Recipe Notes Make your own oat flour by placing old-fashioned rolled oats in a food pro-cessor or blender and process until fine (1 cup oats will yield about 3/4 cup ground oats).

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1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper Put lettuce in a large bowl. Add artichokes, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, ol-ives, peppers, parsley, onions, and parsley. In a separate smaller bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, stir with a whisk until well-combined, and pour over salad. Toss well to coat, and serve. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup) Recipe Notes If you don’t have fresh parsley on hand, add 1 teaspoon dried parsley to the salad dressing.

Strawberry Spinach Salad 8 cups torn fresh spinach, loosely packed 2 cup chopped strawberries 4 teaspoons sunflower seed kernels 1 teaspoon sesame seeds 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Apple-Cinnamon Salad Dressing For each serving, place 2 cups spinach and 1/2 cup strawberries on each salad plate. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sunflower seeds, 1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds, and 1/8 teaspoon poppy seeds on top. Drizzle Apple-Cinnamon Salad Dress-ing over all, and serve.

Chunky Potato Soup 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped carrots 1 cup sliced celery 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 cups water or Vegetable Broth 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 5 cups) 1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon thyme 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup almond, rice, or soy milk 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions, carrots, and celery until vegeta-bles are softened. Stir in garlic, and cook for another minute, stirring constantly so garlic doesn’t burn. Add broth, potatoes, bay leaf, salt, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Discard bay leaf. Add half of potato mixture to a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Return to saucepan. Stir in almond milk, and parsley. Cook until heated through, and serve. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Tuscan Soup 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup diced onion 1 cup diced carrots 2 cloves garlic, minced 6 cups water or Vegetable Broth 1 cup dry lentils, sorted and rinsed 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained ½ (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, unthawed ½ tablespoon dried crushed rosemary 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and carrots, and cook until onions are soft and translucent. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly so garlic doesn’t burn. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 ¼ cups)

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Add water or broth, lentils, cannellini beans, tomatoes, spinach, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Heat to boiling, and then reduce heat. Simmer 20-25 minutes with lid tilted. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Black Bean Chili Bake (425g) cans black beans, rinsed & drained 2 cups cooked brown rice 2 (400g) cans tomato sauce 1 (400g) can corn kernels, drained 1 cup chopped jarred roasted red bell peppers 1/2 cup diced onion 1 tablespoon chili powder Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Put beans in a large bowl, and mash. Add to-mato sauce, rice, peppers, corn, onions, and chili powder. Stir to combine. Rub a casserole dish with olive oil, and place mixture in it. Bake 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Romaine Wraps 4 romaine lettuce hearts or leaves 1/2 cup Hummus, Confetti Hummus, or Pumpkin Hummus 1/4 cup cucumber slices, cut 1/4 thick & into half-moons 1/4 cup shredded carrots 1/4 cup zucchini, chopped 1/2 yellow bell pepper, julienned Spread 2 tablespoons Hummus on each leaf. Top with cucumber, carrots, zucchini, and pepper. Eat like a taco, or roll up like a tortilla (depending up the size and shape of the leaf). Yield: 2 servings (about 2 stuffed leaves) Recipe Notes Other topping ideas: artichokes, avocado, black beans, brown rice, broccoli, green peppers, mushrooms, olives, onions, red peppers, sunflower seeds, or tomatoes.

CONGRATULATIONS

Completing the Daniel Fast is a wonderful accomplishment, but it doesn’t mean that we should return to our “former ways.” Instead, we have a superb opportunity to incorporate the lessons we’ve learned, the truths we’ve embraced, and even the corrections we’ve received to be better, stronger, and healthier. Take some time and consider what you have learned about God, yourself and your future. May you incorporate these things into your lifestyle . . . and move toward a more mature life in Christ

MY GOALS FOR 2018:

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