FAQ

We’ve accumulated the most asked questions from last year’s fast and done our best to answer them accordingly. 

Biblical fasting can be defined as abstaining from food for spiritual purposes. Simply going without food because it is not available or for medical reasons is not biblical fasting. There must be a spiritual motivation to qualify a fast as biblical.

    • Jesus fasted to acknowledge His dependence and to gain spiritual strength through reliance on the Holy Spirit and God’s Word. He did this before He began His public ministry (Luke 4:1-2).
    • Nehemiah fasted for confession, repentance and favor in the sight of the king to get permission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:4).
    • David humbled himself, asking God to intervene because of injustice (Psalm 35:13). In 2 Samuel 12:17-23, he fasted for healing and miraculous intervention.
    • Mordecai and the Jews fasted upon hearing the news of Haman’s wicked plot for their extermination (Esther 4:3).
    • The early church fasted while worshiping and committing their ministry to the Lord. They also sought the Lord through fasting for guidance and confirmation during the appointment of elders (Acts 13:2, 14:23).
    • Jesus expected His disciples to fast, but He did not command it (Matthew 6:16).

The biblical goal of fasting is not just to do without food. The goal is to draw nearer to God. This is a time to disconnect enough from your regular patterns and habits in order to connect more closely to God. We encourage you to seek the Spirit throughout the fast and follow His leading. 

The Daniels Fast comes from Daniel 10:2-3 – “At that time, I Daniel, mourned for three weeks, I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.” The Daniel Fast, specifically, is feasible for people with varying levels of experience with fasting as it is a partial fast. The intention of the modern-day Daniel Fast is not to duplicate exactly what Daniel did but the spirit in which he did it. Daniel’s passion for the Lord caused him to hunger and thirst more for spiritual food than for physical food, which should be the desire of anyone choosing to participate in this type of fast.

Scripturally, fasting is almost always partnered with prayer (e.g., Ezra 8:21,23; Luke 2:36-37). During times when you would normally eat you may want to couple fasting and prayer with other spiritual practices.

Many people are reluctant to tell others that they are fasting because they want to avoid the sin of the Pharisees: fasting just to gain recognition for themselves. The main takeaway in Jesus’ teaching to ensure fasting is not obvious to others (Matthew 6:18) is avoiding self-praise, not total secrecy. If others ask, communicating you are doing a fast with your church is in alignment with Scripture and can even lead to Gospel conversations for those who do not know Christ. If friends and family express concern for your health, ease their fears by telling them that you will stop fasting the moment you feel you are harming your body or if the Lord leads you to end your fast. Tell them you are fasting under your doctor’s care, which we urge you to do if you have any questions concerning your health.

Our first priority in accomplishing the mission God has given PHC is fostering our intimacy with Jesus. Our relationship with Him should be continually cultivated in order to deeply know Him and become more like Him. As we are intimate with Jesus, we are better equipped to bring others to Him for them to be built up and sent out by Him.

There is power in unified prayer. As we participate in the fast as a corporate body, we are united in prayer for specific areas of focus. In Scripture, we see groups of people fasting for a unified purpose. The early church fasted while worshiping and committing their ministry to the Lord. They also sought the Lord through fasting for guidance and confirmation during the appointment of elders (Acts 13:2, 14:23).

We will be starting the fast on January 7th after lunch.

The fast ends on January 28th at dinner time.

Prayer requests can be shared by submitting a prayer request form.

The main difference is the motivation. Dieting is changing your food intake for the purpose of becoming healthier physically. Fasting is abstaining from food to draw nearer to God and become healthier spiritually.

Guilt or shame is never from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gently convicts us but never condemns us. The purpose of fasting is not to follow a list of do’s and don’ts. The enemy loves to shift the focus of fasting from a biblical one where the focus is on God and drawing nearer to Him to a legalistic one where the focus is on our performance and how well we are keeping a diet. If you experience guilt or shame, simply surrender it to God. He knows your heart and is more concerned with your motivation than your performance.

Quinoa, lentils, broccoli, chickpeas, peanut butter, chia seeds, tofu, kale, romaine lettuce, wild rice, pistachios, almonds, brussel sprouts, corn, potatoes, and avocados are all sources of protein.

Natural sugar is sugar that exists naturally in fruit, grains, and vegetables. Added sugar is the white sugar that you bake cookies with or any variation of it. When buying products, look at the ingredient list for “sugar” but also look for any word that ends in “ose” like sucrose. Those are all variations of sugar that we want to avoid in the Daniel fast.

    • Carbonated water (no flavoring) – Yes
    • Chia and flax seeds – Yes
    • Oil popped popcorn (no butter) – Yes
    • Beef or chicken broths – Vegetable broth only
    • Honey – No
    • Protein powders – Depends on what is in it. 
    • Soy sauce – No
    • Almond flour – Yes
    • Brown rice syrup – Yes
    • Unsweetened cocoa powder – Yes 
    • Fruit juice – Fresh squeezed

If you get sick on the fast, getting well should be your first priority. The purpose of the fast is not to make anyone feel guilty. God sees your heart. Do what you need to do to get better. Rest often and hydrate. Bananas and vegetable broth might help. There is no shame in needing to eat crackers or drink some ginger ale if nothing else is working. However, many of us will experience detox symptoms which are similar to the symptoms of being sick. Do your best to listen to your body and listen to God’s leading.

If you are currently struggling, you may want to seek the advice of a trained therapist or medical practitioner before beginning this fast. We would also encourage you to consider a modified version of the fast that is safe and healthy for you. Fast with a partner or your small group to ensure accountability.

When reintroducing food, it is best to reintroduce foods one at a time. Add in meat, then on a different day or at least meal, add in dairy, etc. You can choose the order, but one at a time is best.

Yes, but we recommend using caution. Modify your workouts to ensure you are not over-exerting yourself during the fast. If you are working out, it is important to make sure you are eating enough nutrients and protein to supplement. Monitor your health during workouts and if needed, consult with a medical professional.

We recommend consulting your doctor before participating in the Daniel Fast if you are pregnant. Keeping sources of protein in your diet and avoiding sudden dietary changes are important for a healthy pregnancy which might mean some serious modifications will need to be made in order for you to participate in the Daniel Fast.