Offering: New Year= Next Step - “test me in this” - Apply Principle of Tithe 

Announcement: 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting - Mon/Wed/Fri - Wed: Worship Night w. Garret & Kate  

Awakening Church | A Time to Fast

Q. New Year - Are you looking to start spiritually? Hoping God shifts some things? Are you searching for breakthrough in any area? 

Theme: Power of Fasting & Prayer to Propel You Forward 

Read: But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food. So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.” Daniel 1:8-21

Context: Daniel= Young Man in Foreign Culture - Zion —> Babylon 

  • Babylon Represents: Rebellion against God (tower), Idolatry (Golden Image), Excess 

  • Problem: Temptation to become like everyone else. (Assimilate Culture) 

    • Christians= “in the world, but not of the world” 

      • Tension: How do you live in Babylon yet uphold Zion? 

T. Daniel Begins a Fast… Almost Every Major Biblical Figure Fasted for Breakthrough.

    • Moses - Mt Sinai= 10 Commandments / Elijah Fasted - Mt. Horeb - Instructions / David= Healing for Child / Daniel= Seeking Understanding (21 days) / Esther= Interceding for Nation / Paul Fasted= Encounter with Christ, Jesus Fasted - 40 Day

      • Thesis: Fasting brings a Consecration of the flesh and a release of the Spirit. 

        • Fasting Shifts Heavens & Brings Breakthrough on Earth. 

Text: “Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank” Daniel 1:8 

  1. Fasting Sets You Apart - “he would not defile himself”

  • Context: Training School= (Nations Royalty, Good Looking, 3yrs) / Goal= Uniformity

  • Reality: You are not going to be like everyone else. Apply: Choices / Speech / Lifestyle

    • “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession…” 1 Peter 2:9

    • Conflict: God Wants You / Devil Wants You - Flesh vs Spirit — WAR WITHIN

      • Fasting Feeds the Spirit and Starves the Flesh. 

        • Ex. Native American Chief - Grandson — 2 Wolves Fighting - “One You Feed”

          • Fasting Separates You from the world around you & tunes you into the world within you.

      • Decide: I will not become unacceptable to God to become acceptable to man. 

  1. Fasting Requires Discipline - “Daniel Resolved” 

  • Point: Fasting is not easy, and your flesh does NOT want you to do it. 

    • Excuses: “Body doesn’t do well, Busy Schedule, Low Blood Sugar, I’ve Tried, Don’t Feel Called, Giving Up”…

    • The reason fasting is difficult is because denying your flesh is difficult. 

      • Ex. Saying “No": Donut, Snooze Button - Hye: Child? Reaction= Tears

        • “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” Mt 16:24

      • Secret: The more you do it, the better you get at it. (Day 1- Day 2 / Wk 1- Wk 2)

        • Ex. Callous Your Will - Illst. Construction Worker Hands - Calloused by Friction

          • “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11

            • Ex. Resolve: Tithe the First Month of the Year — Q.What will you give up?

              • Apply: Types of Fasts: Water/Liquid Only, Daniel (Fruits, Vegetables - No Caffeine), Media Fast, etc 

                • “Fasting cleanses the soul, raises the mind, subjects one’s flesh to the spirit, renders the heart contrite and humble, scatters the clouds of sinful living, quenches the fire of lust, and kindles the true light of chastity.”– St. Augustine 

  1. Fasting Removes Idolatry - “king’s food” 

  • Context: Kings Food= Sacrificed to Idols - Eating= Participating 

    • “Man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols.” - John Calvin

  • Point: Fasting brings your idols to the surface. (Illst: Guatemala - Mayan Temple) 

    • Why: When you get low, the worst gets revealed. (Ex. Reservoir - Old Junk)

      • Ex. Body / Food / Emotions - Anger, Joy / Consumption 

        • Reality: You don’t realize what you are relying on until it gets cut off. 

          • “More than any other discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. This is a wonderful benefit to the true disciple who longs to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.” - Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline

            • Encourage: 21 Days - Whatever you find keeping you from God, Remove. 

Conclusion: Results= “At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.” Daniel 1:15 

      • Point: Fasting produces physical, spiritual, and relational breakthroughs. 

        • Wonder: What will fasting release in your life? (Health, Promotion, Wisdom)

Story: Daniel Prayed - 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer - Gabriel vs Prince of Persia 

“Then he said to me, ‘Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.’” (Daniel 10:12, ESV) 

  • Point: Your Prayers shift Heaven. Fasting Brings Breakthrough.

    • Q. What will you be Fasting & Praying for these next 21 Days? 

      • Apply: Breakthrough: Mind / Home / Area — Church Community 2025

        • Thesis: Fasting brings a Consecration of the flesh and a release of the Spirit. 

Communion 

Salvation: Daniel= Set Apart - Resolve= Follow Jesus & Live Set Apart