Berean Fellowship Baptist Church Pastor Raymond C. Dix Jr.

A Call to Fast and Pray

March 1, 2011

Some people may experience headaches due to withdrawals from caffeine, sugar and
other products that their body is used to having. However, after these toxins are out of
your system, you will likely feel better as your body enjoys natural, healthy foods free
from chemicals and preservatives.

Be mindful that with out prayer a fast is merely diet! Be careful to set aside times during
the day that are dedicated to praying, studying the word, and hearing from God. Fasting is
a time of consecration. During this time, you should be more mindful to stay away from
things that distract you spiritually or separate you from God.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

o Attitude is important.
o Fasting should be done with a spirit of humility and secrecy. It should be
donp unto God, not man.
o Matthew 6:16-18: oo'When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites
do, for they disfigure their faces to show others Qey are fasting. Truly I
tellyou, they have received their reward in full. " But when you fast, put
18
oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to
others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and
your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
r There is no fast without prayer and reading of the word.
o As stated earlier, without prayer and study, this is a simple diet.
o Daniel 9:3: "So I tumed to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer
and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes."
o Nehemiah 9:1-3: "On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the
Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust
on their heads. ' Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from
all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the
sins of their ancestors. ' They stood where they were and read from the
Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and
spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their
God."
e Whenyoupray...
o Here are some thil,-i"Ti##,ffi,5xi pravers:
i:*-r*:"ur
 r The courage to operate in ministry the way God intends.
. Berean Church
r The leadership.
r The youth.
r The vision.
r Your community.
r Your family.
. The leadership of our country.
o Expectthe great!
o We should all be entering this fast with the expectation that God will
honor our sacrifice and obedience and our lives and the ministry, as a
wihole, will be forever changed for the better upon completion.
o Before you begin the fast, think about what it is you would like to see
happen in your life, the lives of the people around you, and Berean Church
through the fast. Continually keep those things in mind during the fast and
believe that God will honor your sacrifice and obedience by performing
those things.
. Keepeachotherencouraged.
o During the fast, if God moves in yorn life, don't sit on it. Tell somebody!
We want to celebrate with you!
o Encourage each other at every opportunity. If you know someone that has
fallen offcourse, cncourage him or her to get back up and continue in the
fast.
o Encourage yourself. If you fall offthe fast in anyway, all is not lost.
Encourage yourself to get back up and continue on! Failure is n*t in
falling. Failure is in not getting back up.
 Vegetables for the Daniel Fast
Artichokes Asparagus Beets

Broccoli ,Brussels sprouts Cabbage

Carrots Celery
,Cauliflower
Com Cucumbers Eggplant

Garlic ,Greens Kale

Leeks 'Lettuce Mushrooms

Onions Parsley

. Potatoes Peppers naJisrr

'Rutabaga Scallions Spinach

' a'

Sprouts :Squash Sweet Potatoes

'Tomatoes .Turnips Zucchirli

Fruits

Fruits for the Daniel Fast

Apples ,Agricots ,Bananas
Blackberries, Blueberries Boysenberries
Cantaloupe Cherries Cranberries

Figs rGrapefruit ,Grapes

'Guurou ,Honeydew ,Kiwi
Lemon Lime Mango
Nectarine Oranges Papaya

,Peach ,Pears . Pineapple

Plum Raisin Raspberries

,strawberrie, i*gelos Tangerines

Watermelon ,

Bread: Wheat, Oat, Potato and etc.

Other Foods
Nuts Oats (oatmeal)
Seeds Brown Rice
Barley Dried Beans
Peas Lentils

Drinks should consist of distilled or spring water, 100 percent pure fruit or vegetable
drinks. Try mixing or buying pure 100 percent mixed fruit and vegetable drinks. They are
delicious. Here is a great opportunify to experiment with juicing. I love it!

Foods to Avoid
There are a few foods that need to be avoided while participating in this fast:

. Meat (Beef and Pork)

r White rice
. White flour
. Fried foods
. Caffeine
. Alcohol
. Carbonated drinks
. Refined sugar or sugar substitutes
. Margarine
. Shortening
. Fats
. Foods with preservatives or additives

Replace t}re above with:

r Fish and Poultry (Baked, Broiled, Boiled get creative_

o Olive and Vegetable oils
o Raw sugar or Turbinado (Pay Inw, Van Tils) Most stores carry raw sugaf,, but for
the turbinado you will need to visit your local Health Food Store.