For years Christians have been doing the Daniel fast. Choosing to eat only plant-based foods for a period of time. As a way of imitating the fasts performed by Daniel in the Old Testament. While the Daniel fast is definitely worth doing, we must realize that the great moves of God in Daniel’s life were not just the products of fasting. Daniel was a man sold out to God and he spent much time in prayer and thanksgiving.
Sadly for many Christians, like myself, prayer is something that we do but not like we should. We know that Paul taught we should pray without ceasing. That Jesus said to pray and if you have faith you will receive what you asked for. We even understand that prayer pleases the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV)
17 pray without ceasing,
Mark 11:24 (ESV)
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Proverbs 15:8 (ESV)
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
Yet, we still do not spend the time in prayer that we know we should. Which is exactly why I believe that every Christian should attempt the Daniel prayer challenge. What’s the Daniel prayer challenge? The basic concept is laid out for us right in Daniel 6:10.
Daniel 6:10 (ESV)
10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.
Prayer has effectively been outlawed by the king for thirty days. Even though he is fully aware of this Daniel did not allow that to separate him from serving his God. He continued to pray as he had always done. Not only that but we learn here that he would pray three times a day. Can you do that? Would you do that?
Are you willing to spend time in prayer no matter what the circumstances are in your life at the time? On top of that are you willing to pray three times a day? And not just because you are in need of something. But because like Daniel you just want to commune with God continually. That is the Daniel prayer challenge. Taking time to pray three times a day for a given period of time. Which in this case thirty days seems like a fitting amount of time.
I understand that for many this sounds like a monumental undertaking. It surely won’t always be easy. But for those willing to see this challenge out to the end I am believing great things will happen in their lives. Just look at what happened in Daniel’s life after he continued to pray even though the world was telling him not too. Because he broke the law he was thrown into a den of lions. Yet he didn’t even suffer a scratch because God sent His angels to protect him.
Daniel 6:16 (ESV)
16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
Daniel 6:22-23 (ESV)
22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
Any challenge has to have a few ground rules and the Daniel prayer challenge is no different. The basic rule is to pray at least three times a day. Meaning you are not locked into only three prayers a day. You can pray as much as you like as long as you take time to specifically pray three times throughout your day.
There are no hard rules for when it comes to what specific times you should pray. But be wise and don’t try to space them apart by only a few minutes. My recommendation would be to pray when you wake up. At midday and before you go to sleep. And don’t make these prayers super short prayers either, try not to worry about the length the prayers really. Just make them meaningful and spend some real-time talking to your Heavenly Father.
Finally, with all the time you are going to be spending in prayer, it may be hard to think of ways to fill that time. Thankfully the Bible gives us plenty of examples of what to pray for. From your spiritual leaders to your enemies. Ultimately the Bible teaches that we can pray for anything and everything. Just make sure you don’t spend to much time focusing on yourself and not the needs of others.
Colossians 4:3 (ESV)
3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—
Matthew 5:44 (ESV)
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Philippians 4:6 (ESV)
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Matthew 26:41 (ESV)
41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
1 John 5:14 (ESV)
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
James 5:13-14 (ESV)
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 (ESV)
2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
1 John 5:16 (ESV)
16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that.
The goal of this challenge is, of course, to get us spending more time in prayer. With the added hope that after thirty days our prayer lives will not start to slack off. Hopefully praying multiple times throughout your day will become the norm and be something that sticks with you.
I hope that those reading this will take up the challenge and pray three times a day for thirty days with me. I will be starting this challenge the day this article goes live and will provide updates along the way.
Help us see the Daniel prayer challenge spread across Christianity by sharing this article. This could spark the pray revival that our world desperately needs. Thanks and God Bless!
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