21 days ago, God challenged me to partake in a Daniel Fast. A Daniel Fast is a partial fast that restricts certain types of food. But it is also a time to press in close to Jesus and listen to Him. My fast included fruits, vegetables, and whole grains/beans/lentils. It restricted me from meat, fish, eggs, dairy, refined sugars, and processed foods.

The first three days were the most difficult. Everything tempted me. Everything called to me saying this fasting was of no significance to my spiritual growth. I could continue to serve God faithfully without fasting. After day 3, things changed. I no longer had much of an appetite and food was not the luxury it has been in the past. My time with God became more important and I began to long to hear from Him.

I would like to tell you there was some huge revelation that I received. Instead, God began to speak to me in sound bytes. I began to hear from Him daily. Each morning He would speak in some way through the scriptures or a devotion or a song on the radio. Instead of some profound Word, He came in daily doses as if they were treats to replace the cookies I would normally eat. His Word became cookies for my soul.

Here are some of the things God spoke to me in the last 21 days:

• handle unwanted situations by thanking Me
• live within the boundaries of each day
• stay where you are until I give you guidance
• sunshine should remind you of My Presence
• Trust Me when things feel out of control; I am making you fit for the Kingdom
• when you criticize what I am doing it is like you are saying you know better than Me
• too many things interrupt your awareness of Me
• Peace cannot be stored up; it is a daily need you get from Me
• bring your performance anxiety to Me
• a mind preoccupied with planning pays homage to the idol of control
• your fear manifests itself in excessive planning
• are you sleepwalking through your day?
• acknowledge that everything belongs to Me
• many Christians learn to spend time with Me in prisons; you can volunteer to learn the discipline of time with Me
• learn to live in the present with Me

Do you want to de-clutter your life and hear from God? I want to encourage you to consider fasting. God will give you the strength you need to seek His presence and hear His voice.