What is fasting?
Fasting is abstaining from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance.
Why Should I Fast?
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The Daniel Fast
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On one occasion, the prophet Daniel was greatly concerned for his people and sought the Lord’s wisdom during a time of prayer and fasting.
“I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips..." (Daniel 10:3a). The Message translation says: “I ate only plain and simple food.” 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. The food guidelines are given to help you form boundaries, not to push you into legalism. Your fast may look a little different than someone else’s, and that’s fine. The most important part of the Daniel Fast is that you deny yourself physically so that you may seek the Lord in prayer and grow closer to Him. Below is a downloadable PDF of the foods you can eat on the Daniel Fast. 
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How to Spiritually prepare:
- Fast and pray in order to humble yourself and purify your worship. In fasting we are not trying to get something from God, but seeking to realign our hearts’ affections with His. In fasting we can more readily say, “We love you, Lord, more than anything in the world.” Lust of any kind is perverted worship, but fasting enables us to cleanse the sanctuary of our hearts from every other rival.
- Don’t boast about your fast. Let people know only if necessary (Mt. 6:16–18).
- Have a clear target as your prayer focus. Without a vision, the people perish. Write down your vision, so you can run with it (Hab. 2:2).
- Take time to pray and read the Word. This may seem obvious, but busyness and distractions can keep you from devotions. A great devotion to work through during this time is called Fast Like Daniel, and it's available on your YouVersion app, or Bible.com, click HERE!
- Expect to hear God’s voice in the Word, dreams, visions, and revelations. Daniel prepared himself to receive revelation through fasting (Dan. 10:1–2). There is a fasting reward (Mt. 6:18).
- Prepare for opposition. On the day of your fast you can bet that donuts will be at the office or in class. Press through. Many times you may feel more tension build at home. Satan tempted Jesus on His fast, and we must expect the same. Discouragement may come in like a flood, but recognize the source and take your stand on the victory of Christ.
- If you fail, don’t give in to condemnation. The “to fast or not to fast” dilemma can be a major tool of the enemy. Even though you may fail several times, God always extends grace. Just hit the “delete” button and continue on your fast.
- Breakthroughs often come after a fast, not during it. Do not listen to the lie that nothing is happening. It is our conviction that every fast done in faith will be rewarded.
Resources
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This information plus much more is available on these websites below! Also, notice you don't have to do the Daniel Fast, but can explore the options of Partial Fasts, Water Only Fasts, or Juice Only Fasts.
Fasting and Prayer Guideline from IHOPKC Guide to Fasting and Prayer by Pastor Rick Warren The Ultimate Daniel Fast Fast Like Daniel Online Bible Study |