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TITLE- TEN TIMES BETTER

Daniel Fast Information Page

• In my estimation, Americans are obsessed with improvement. “Bigger better faster” bigger better parking spot. Souped up cars, bigger this, taller that, faster this. Sports are all about improving
• I don’t think its all bad- I agree with a lot of it- why not? I’m glad that a lazy person worked really hard so I could have the appliances of today- best time to live!
• Theres a story in the Bible about a guy who was TEN TIMES BETTER than he was!
• What if you could be TEN TIMES BETTER than you are? I’m all for it personally.
• Theres a story in the bible of four young men who God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom. He gave them understanding of visions and dreams
• And there was something that these guys did that precipitated this event- something that made them different than the people around them-
• They were put in a position to be like everyone else- to do what everyone else was doing- but made a declaration and said- I’m not going to be like everyone else- I’m not going to do what everyone else is doing- They said- What the world is doing is not what I’m going to DO
• Me personally- if everyone else is doing it- its usually an indication that its not of God
• January 2-22 our church is going to do a “Daniel Fast”.

• It is 3 weeks of a spirit of Fasting in which we abstain from as much flavorful food as we can
• Daniel 10:2-3 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. 3 I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
• No Dairy, sweets, caffeine, alcohol, leavened bread, or meat for 3 weeks
• Been doing it for about 5 years or so- we do it every year and every year there are types of people 1. Look forward to it 2. Do it begrudgingly 3. Rebelliously Refuse to do it 4. Find a reason not to do it 5. Pretend they don’t know
• EVERY YEAR- I preach on it and there are still people that refuse to take part
• My job, my workouts, my health, my schedule, my whatever- Its basically a vegan diet for 21 days, and there isn’t a doctor out there that would say you’re going to die without Meat, sugar, dairy and white flour for 21 days.  Remember it’s the SPIRIT not the LETTER
• But alas- as your Pastor and spiritual leader, I implore you- entreat you- beg you- DO IT
• PLAY VIDEO- DO IT

• I honestly don’t know what the problem is—We are a church. We are together in our endeavors for Christ, or at least I think we are.  I want us to grow spiritually as a church- and through the years I’ve seen great benefits from the Daniel Fast- If you call this your home, why not?
• Whats funny- is that the people that I see are the most resistant are, in my estimation the ones who need to do it the most- break that rebellious yoke- the bondage to food- resistance to comm
• But let me encourage while you’re here to WHY you SHOULD do it-

• Lets get back to these young men-

• King Nebuchadnezzar, takes over Jersualem
• King tells this guy to bring some of the Children of Israel to serve in his palace
• He wanted them for teachers- So he says that they can eat the kings delicacies
• V5 5 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king.
• There were 4 exceptional young men- Belteshazzar and 3 others Hananiah, Mishael, Meshach; Azariah,
• But Belteshazzar didn’t want anything to do with the kings food- “defile” was the word
• Belteshazzar put out a test and said, watch us eat just vegetables for 10 days and see what happens
• Big things happened!

• V17 17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Belteshazzar had understanding in all visions and dreams.
• The king couldn’t find any other young men like these young men.
• Daniel 1:20And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.

Why  should you do the fast?

• Jesus fasted

• Jesus practiced fasting when He was tempted by Satan (Matt. 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-4).
• During these tumultuous 40 days of loneliness, satanic attack, and the presence of wild beasts, “He ate nothing” (Luke 4:2).
• If Jesus fasted, and you want to be like Jesus- you should fast-
• Some people would say that Jesus fasted prior to his Ascension and that we as NT believers are not bound to fast and take part in the fasts of the Day of Atonement
• But the fact remains- Jesus fasted- he encouraged it- but he encouraged it to be done the RIGHT way- with the right heart- The disciples and Paul and the early church fasted!
• Matthew 6:16“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
• The point Jesus was making was that the religious jews were fasting for everyone else to see them- not for God to see them
• This fast- the Daniel fast- you can still take part in it as a church, have someone know and still bring Glory to God
• IF you have your heart in the right place (don’t use the heart in the wrong place excuse- get your heart right) Today is the day- don’t say “matt convinced me” Im a HS prcher- it was the HS

• I’ve been planning this fast all year- you all know I’m going to fast- but I promise you- I do not go without sweets for 21 days to impress you. Its not worth it.
• I have fasted days without food on only water- Daniel fast many times-
• Its hard- and painful and flesh crucifying- But every time I know it honors God and grows me spiritually- AND HE’S GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU AS WELL

• You never know when you’re going into the fire or the lions den

• An interesting note about these young men we’ve been talking about- if you read in Daniel 1- These 3 young men are actually given different names- Shadrach- Meschach and Abed-nego
• There’s a story of these young men in Daniel 3 where King Nebuchadnezzer makes a big golden statue and commands everyone to worship it or they will be thrown into the fiery furnace.
• These three vegetable eating flesh defying young men refused- the King asks tells them, worship the Gold or go in the fire- he even says “what God is going to help you?
• Daniel 3:16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
• Long before they came up on a fiery test of their conviction to serve the one true God- they had purposed in their hearts to not be like the rest of the kings men WILL YOU DO THIS?
• DANIEL- prepared himself BEFORE he went into the LIONS DEN
• America– No emergency fund, no car maintenance, no yearly, Memorize scripture BEFORE u nd it
• And when Darius put him in the Lions den to stay over night- Daniel- who refused to bow down to the King- went into the Lions den-
• Daniel 6:21Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”
• Now- I’m not saying if you do the Daniel fast you can go in the fire and live
• What I AM saying- is- there are going to be fiery trials that are going to come at you in this life and if you haven’t learned how to have conviction when that time arrives you are going to fail miserably- So why not prepare yourself to go through something NOW by CHOICE?
• What if worshipping God wasn’t so easy? Would you do it?
• There is a war for your soul going on right now folks- society, at every turn is attempting to get you to not believe in the God of the Bible or follow his ways
• And the modern day Christian is not fully engaged in the process
• We take what the world gives and does what the world does

• And THEN, there will always be a moment that demands a Godly response that may cost you dearly- and you don’t have the courage to stand up for the one True God
• Sure, maybe these young men could have made it without eating vegetables, but maybe they wouldn’t have- If you can’t restrict your diet, you will struggle when it comes to being BOLD

• Maybe it was the CHOICE that they made BEFORE the FIRE that PREPARED them
• BEFORE the time came that they were challenged- they had already experienced the fighting of the flesh and the determination to stand for something
• I’m not trying to scare you- I’m just saying- preparing yourself before the battle is the best time to prepare
• Doing the fast BEFORE you go through it- is the TIME to do it!
• Romans 13:11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
• That’s a true verse! – this world is going to pass away- and if you haven’t ever endured before, when it comes, you’re going to be sunk
• Proverbs 21:31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the Lord.
• If I learned anything from sports its this- practice should always be harder than games
• I wrestled in high school- 4 years- we’d have 3 hour practices where we could barely wrestle because the mats were covered in sweat- 6 mins didn’t seem that long-
• My dad used to say to me when I was a kid- stock up on coffee- because if the end of the world comes, people will do anything for it-
• At the minimum- if the coffee dries up- you at least can tell yourself- I’ve lived without it for 21 days- AND I know that I can control my flesh and it doesn’t control ME
• Luke 21 34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth

• 3. Be TEN TIMES BETTER-
• Daniel 1:20And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.
• Again- I’m not saying if you do the Daniel Fast you’re going to automatically be Ten Times Better
• But I will say- These four young men were- They were affected by the declarations of their souls to restrict themselves and it had a lasting effect on them!
• The truth is people- we serve a God of Multiplication
• The Loaves and fishes? Story of a young boy with a few fish and loaves that fed 5000
• Luke 6:38Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.
• Mark 10:29So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[e] or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
• Many times in scripture we are promised blessings by God, but often times, the barrier between our blessings, isn’t God, its our obedience and willingness to fully submit
• What would your life be like if your prayer life was 10 times better?
• What would your marriage be like if you were 10 times better?
• How would you be in your career if you were 10 times better?
• You have everything to GAIN from positioning yourself to DENY your flesh and POSITION yourself to GROW in your life with Christ
• Make a declaration today! Decide to do the fast! (plan ahead) Give up MORE Its not a TRICK
• Zech. 7:2-7 5 “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? 6 When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?
• We live so much of our lives for ourselves- Do this for GOD- I promise- at the end- you’ll be able to eat so much to the Glory of GOD-
• You coffee drinkers- that first day, it will be the best cup you’ve had in a year!