PRAYER & FASTING
BROCHURE
Celebration Church traditionally sets apart the beginning
of every year to dedicate themselves, and the next 12
months, to the Lord. Our custom is to give a “first fruits”
offering of 21 days dedicated to a Daniel’s fast (patterned
after Daniels fast in the bible; Daniel 1: 12-13).
WHAT TO DO DURING THE FAST
The Word of God and Prayer is food for mans spirit—just like
natural food feeds our bodies.
We recommend that during the fast the following disciplines
be adopted for maximum spiritual benefit:
• Add an additional scripture study to the Daily Bible
Reading program, i.e. Study a book of the bible, study
the life of a particular person in the bible, study a topic
that you desire revelation in: prayer, fasting, gifts of the
Holy Spirit, etc.
• Attend at least one Domain Prayer Meeting a week
or prioritize your life around all of the domain prayer
meetings during this time of Prayer and Fasting.
(Monday: Business, Economics and Agriculture;
Tuesday: Church and Government; Wednesday:
Family and Education; Thursday: Health, Science and
Technology; Friday: Arts, Entertainment, Sports and
Media; Saturday: Cells and Missions).
• Participate in the 24/hour prayer schedule. Choose
a slot on the roster for 24/hour prayer and obtain the
specific prayer information from the prayer department
for your chosen hour of prayer.
• Attend as many church services and functions as
possible. Acts 2:46, “they had a single purpose and
went to the temple every day.”
POWER OF CORPORATE FASTING
Fasting as a church gives us the advantage of operating
in Jesus’ promise that His power is released when believers
agree together in prayer. Corporately as the body,
believers should do everything in their power to achieve
and maintain agreement and unity with one another—
especially in our corporate and all night prayer settings.
Fasting and Prayer prepare us for the fresh outpouring of
His Holy Spirit, and sensitizes our spirits to hear His plans for
the New Year. As members of the church and the body of
Christ participate in the time of fasting, God will prepare
them for what He has in store: as individuals, for the
Celebration Churches Internationally, and for the Church
at large during the upcoming year.
PRINCIPLES OF BIBLICAL FASTING
Fasting may be one of the most misunderstood disciplines
of the church. One should never simply perform a religious
task or duty without an understanding of what it entails
and what it is intended to accomplish. Fasting makes our
flesh uncomfortable and sensitizes us to spiritual issues
and God’s presence. We should take advantage of this
spiritual sensitivity, and seek God specifically for answers
and direction for the upcoming year.
Isaiah 58: 1-12 is the Biblical basis we use for setting forth
guidelines for fasting. We recommend you read this text
often during this time and obey, and do what the Holy
Spirit and the scriptures direct you to do accordingly.
DANIEL’S FAST
Daniel was an Old Testament prophet of God, and was
used mightily by God to bring visions and deliverance
to His people. The book of Daniel gives clear guidelines
of how Daniel and his friends fasted and prayed and
how God answered their prayers. This is a pattern full of
principles that we can imitate and learn from during our
time of fasting. Spend time reading the book of Daniel and
meditate especially on the following verses and the stories
around these verses:
“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 royal
food, and treat your servants in accordance with what
you see.” Daniel 1:12-13(NIV)
“At that time I, Daniel mourned for three weeks. I ate no
choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips, and l used
no lotions at all until the three weeks were over...” Daniel
10:2-14(NIV)
DIETARY GUIDELINE DURING THE DANIEL’S FAST
A Daniels fast by nature is one where you are eating no
choice foods… Therefore, a few tips regarding diet on
a Daniels fast are in the following order. Although these
are just guidelines, they coincide with the description of a
Daniels fast based on the Scriptures in the book of Daniel.
While “Daniel fasting” eat or drink:
• Vegetables in large quantities, especially raw or lightly
steamed.
• Fresh vegetable juices.
• Leafy greens for salads (fancy lettuce is best).
• “Pulse” consisting of vegetables and grains, wheat,
barley, rye, peas, beans (any type).
• Millet, chickpeas, brown rice and lentils.
• Nuts and seeds (such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower
seeds, almonds, walnuts, pecans, sesame seeds or
linseeds).
• Whole grain breads (such as Ezekiel bread, rye, spelt,
millet or brown rice bread).
• Eggs.
• Fruit and fruit juices (100% juice, not cordial juice).
• Herbal Teas, green teas, white teas.
• Drink large quantities of water to flush toxic build-up
from your kidneys (3 - 5 litres per day).
• Fresh butter and creams - not margarine.
• Olive oil.
GUIDELINE OF FOODS TO BE AVOIDED DURING A DANIEL’S
FAST
Although there are many foods we enjoy, during the time
of fasting there are certain foods and beverages that
should be avoided while fasting. These include:
• Drinks containing stimulants i.e. coffee, black tea, and
carbonated beverages.
• Sugars, refined pastries and breads, pasta, sweets,
chocolates, junk food and any man-made processed
foods.
• All processed oils, such as vegetables oil and canola oil
• From scriptures it appears that Daniel ate no meat.
• Jams, salad dressings and various condiments always
come into question during a Daniel’s fast. Anything
that would be considered a delicacy or pleasurable
should be fasted. However, the most important thing
is that we be prayerful, partaking of the Word of God
and be led of the Holy Spirit in our fasting.
PHYSICAL GUIDELINES ON FASTING
On commencing and completing a fast, eat plenty
of vegetables and fruits and have light meals. For the
first few days—at the beginning of the fast—there may
be unpleasant physical withdrawal symptoms such as
headaches, light headedness, nausea, changes in energy
levels, changes in sleeping habits, a coated tongue, bad
breath, skin eruptions and body odour, etc. Increased
hygiene regimens may be needed during the fast. Fasting
on a regular basis purifies and helps cleanse the digestive
and circulatory systems. The following points can help
make sure your fast is effective:
• Do not allow physical discomfort to stop you. Carry
on with the fast, resisting the unpleasant physical
reactions, which should subside within a few days.
• If you are on a regular medication or physically not
well, obtain medical advice before entering into the
fast.
• Do not starve yourself. It is a Daniel’s fast not a total fast.
Daniel looked healthier and better nourished than the
children of Babylon, who were eating from the Kings
table...“At the end of ten days they looked healthier
and more nourished than any of the young men who
ate royal food.” Dan 1:15 (NIV)
SPIRITUAL GUIDELINES ON FASTING
Fasting is a spiritual discipline, and therefore must be
understood and carried out in a spiritual manner with
biblical understanding. The following will assist you in
successfully enjoying the benefits of fasting:
• Enter into fasting in faith knowing that “without faith it
is impossible to please Him for he that comes to God
must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek Him.” Heb 11:6 (NIV)
• Do not over-extend yourself. If you are going to fast
fully for the first time, just begin by omitting one or two
meals. As you grow in faith, you can always extend the
time period. It is better to have a victory than to fall
short of our goal, which leads to discouragement.
• Avoid hypocrisy. Matthew 6:16-18 (NIV) tells us not to
look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure
their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the
truth, they have received their reward in full.”
• God looks at the motives of your heart. Fasting does
not change God or other people, it changes you.
Read Isaiah 58:1-12.
• Use this opportunity to give meals, clothing, etc., to the
poor. Ask God how you can be a blessing to others.
PHYSICAL BENEFITS
The physical benefits of fasting are as follows:
• Fasting relieves your body naturally from the burden of
excess toxicity.
• Fasting is a safe way to heal the body from degenerative
disease.
• The primary way that fasting allows your body to heal
is by giving it rest.
• Fasting boosts the immune system, which will assist in
preventing disease and give you a longer and healthier
quality of life.
• Fasting helps you look healthier.
• Fasting can assist in clearing certain skin conditions.
• Fasting often brings an increased energy and mental
function.
• Fasting re-educates taste buds, stops cravings and
natural foods are more appreciated.
• After two days the stomach shrinks. By eating healthy,
this will prevent over eating and you will lose weight.
• Fasting helps eliminate toxins and poisons from your
body.
SPIRITUAL BENEFITS
Focusing your attention away from physical desires and
appetites allows for the following spiritual benefits:
• Intensifies your sensitivity in the arena of prayer.
When we silence our flesh we are more sensitive and
susceptible to the things of the spirit.
• Helps you resist temptation.
• Weakens the power of the enemy, especially in areas
where unruly appetites have been dominating your
flesh.
• Fasting is a form of self-discipline. Those who desire to
walk in the Spirit should regularly fast.
• Prayer and fasting increases power. In Luke 4:1-2 we
see that Jesus went into the wilderness. And in verse 14,
“After fasting and praying, for 40 days, He returned in
the power of the Holy Spirit.”
• Fasting strengthens us to cope with monumental
difficulties.
Fasting is not just going without food, it is about taking
action (re-read Isaiah 58) —feeding the hungry, paying our
workers justly, clothing the poor, etc. As we discipline our
lives through the practice of fasting, we will begin to see
the victories and breakthroughs we have desired and will
soon realize that fasting is not an event but a lifestyle. For
the disciple of Jesus, fasting is one of the keys that unlock
the secrets that God has hidden for us, not from us.As you
fast, keep in mind our vision, and ask God to show you
your role in His Kingdom and your part in advancing our
message of transformation and reformation by Building
People, Building Dreams, Building The Kingdom Of God.
Whether you fast one meal a day, three days a week or
21 days—as we are recommending now—the benefits are
extraordinary and the results are well worth the time and
effort expended!
“Be joyful always: pray continually, give thanks in all
circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1Th 5:16-18 (NIV)
Join us as we come together and devote
our time and ourselves with fasting &
praying and seeing God move in our lives.
Pastors Tom & Bonnie
Deuschle
@celebrationmin/celebrationmin.org