Day 14 Devotional: Fasting to Worship

Day 14: Fasting to Worship

A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were serving Him, and myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court convened, and the books were opened. (Daniel 7:10)

One woman from the Bible I would really like to meet is the prophetess Anna. The book of Luke says, “She did not leave the temple grounds, serving night and day with fasts and prayers.” (Luke 2:37) Anna lived a life of worship. She immediately recognized the baby who was the Messiah and came to him, giving thanks.

In a fasting state, we are spiritually sensitive. While empty of food, we are ready to be filled up spiritually, especially as we seek soul food and dedicate extra time to being with the Lord in prayer, Bible reading, meditation, and worship. (These spiritual disciplines and “soul food” are discussed in Chapter 5 of the Daniel Fast Journey book.)

Usually we think of fasting as a time of deprivation and misery, not praise and worship. However, when we break the cycle of physical cravings and keep our attention focused on the Lord, we are filled with peace and joy in His presence – these are the fruits we truly crave, and His presence will satisfy us in a way food never could.

Worship means to ascribe “worth” to something, so as we fast we are making God first in our lives. Instead of attaching our worth to physical possessions or status, we humble ourselves in fasting, and make our spiritual life the most important priority.

In Daniel’s revelation in Chapter seven, he sees God in heaven, with thousands serving Him. This is our purpose in life: to be in the Lord’s presence, worshiping and serving Him.

This vision in Chapter seven also speaks of four great beasts who are kings fighting for power and control, which is disturbing to Daniel, but the outcome is revealed to him:

I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. (Daniel 7:21-22)

No matter what troubles we must walk through, let’s fix our eyes on Jesus assured of ultimate victory. As we worship the Lord with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, we are declaring Him worthy and putting all our trust in Him.

Your Journey

What does worship mean to you? Although we worship God through music, worship is much more than singing. How do you keep your eyes fixed on God and stay in His presence throughout your day?

Song: Revelation Song by Kari Jobe (YouTube)

Daniel 7:9-10

Luke 2:36-38

Acts 13:1-3

You can utilize the Daniel Fast Journey book (available on Amazon) for more information about the Daniel Fast along with a 21-day meal plan and recipes.