Mark 1:35, “The next morning Jesus woke up very early. He left the house while it was still dark and went to a place where HE COULD BE ALONE AND PRAY.” (ERV)
Believe it or not, but in a day where everybody wants to be in the ‘in crowd’; have a clique; be a part of a pack; be a member of the team; or surrounded by an inner circle; being ALONE isn’t always a bad thing! In fact, there are times when it’s Absolutely Necessary in Order to Hear From God!
The Bible points out the following “ALONE” moments of Jesus:
- “But JESUS would OFTEN go to SOME PLACE where he could be ALONE and pray.” (Luke 5:16 CEV).
- “…JESUS…CROSSED LAKE GALILEE to go to some place where he could be ALONE…” (Matthew 14:13 CEV).
- “Then HE went UP ON A MOUNTAIN where he could be ALONE and pray. Later that evening, he was still there.” (Matthew 14:23 CEV).
- “After leaving them, HE went UP ON A MOUNTAINSIDE to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the MIDDLE OF THE LAKE, and he was ALONE ON LAND…” (Mark 6:46-48 NIV).
- “When the voice had spoken, they found that JESUS was ALONE…” (Luke 9:36 NIV).
Now, many of you will say, ‘but I don’t have time to go away and be alone.’ But Jesus went ‘SOME PLACE’, He ‘CROSSED A LAKE’, was on a boat ‘IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE’ and He ‘WENT UP ON A MOUNTAIN AND ON A MOUNTAINSIDE.’ In other words, Jesus didn’t select easy places to get away too. He crossed lakes and went up mountains just to be alone. And please note, He didn’t have a speed boat, a jet ski, plane, or helicopter! Which means getting away to these places was not a 1.2.3. escape route! And yet if alone time was this important to Jesus to do whatever He had to do to get it, how can we say we don’t have time? Furthermore, we can have access to a speed boat; jet ski; plane or helicopter to take us anywhere in the blink of an eye, so what’s our excuse? Now I can even hear your next excuse, ‘but that’s expensive.’ Let me help you out again, the Scripture says, “…JESUS would OFTEN go to SOME PLACE where he could be ALONE and pray.” Key words? SOME PLACE! No one is telling us to rent a private villa in Paris, JUST MAKE TIME TO GO SOME PLACE ALONE! Surely, we can do that, and for free!
Listen, we often talk a lot about Jesus being active in ministry, however, He was also well-balanced in ministry and in life. Even as the Son of God, He took advantage of alone time. And often, it was to pray. Do you take advantage of your alone time? Do you take advantage of the privilege of prayer? Or are you like most who get so busy in ministry and life that the crowds consume them and everything about them? Jesus, with all the miracles, blessings, healings, deliverance, teaching, leading and even enemy attacks, He still made time to get away alone to pray. Brothers and sisters, if your schedule is so overwhelming that you do not even have alone time to get away and pray, then much of your schedule has nothing to do with the Agenda of God. Programs, Protocols, and Positions should never become more Potent than your alone time with God which carries with it the Priority of Prayer. If the Son of God made time to get away alone and pray, but we can’t, does that really mean we’re busier than God? I think not…
And so that we don’t get stuck on Jesus alone, but He was in a great company of people who spent time alone:
In Exodus God said: “Moses ALONE shall come near the Lord; THE OTHERS SHALL NOT COME NEAR, NEITHER SHALL THE PEOPLE COME UP WITH HIM” (24:2 AMP). God wanted Moses to come to Him alone, this speaks volumes of a relationship with intimacy at its core. Truthfully, there are some things going on in our life that don’t need public opinion! Some of that stuff that you keep taking to Tommy and Tammy should only be spoken in the ear of God, alone! People flip out and go off on folks because they found out somebody, they ‘confided’ in, shared their personal business that they themselves already shared all over social media! SELAH! How can you get mad at the world, when you posted your life on the world wide web?! There’s a reason God desires private, intimate alone time with us. Because it’s in settings like those where God can heal us without anyone knowing we were hurt; He can deliver us without anybody knowing what we were delivered from; He can save us when nobody knew how much of a sinner we were; He can silence the gossip before Gabby Gabriella parts her lips; He can mend the marriage without anybody knowing it was torn; He can restore our children without anybody knowing they were the prodigal sons and daughters eating slop with pigs; He can give you a job without anybody knowing you were laid off; He can reverse sickness without anybody seeing a symptom! That’s why it’s so important to spend private, quality, intimate, alone time with God! There are just some things He’s going to do in private that do not need a public display!
When Elijah spent the night ALONE in a cave, God told him to: “…Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by…” (1 Kings 19:11 NIV). He didn’t, however, call a men or women’s ministry meeting to have everybody go with him, he was sent alone. There are some assignments God gives you alone, stop trying to take the crowd with you!
Daniel was: “…left ALONE, gazing at this great vision…” (10:8 NIV) All eyes don’t need to see the great vision that God is about to show you! That’s how plans and purpose get messed up, we show people more than they were pre-approved to see!
The Prophet Jeremiah needed time alone due to ministry: “…I sat ALONE because Your hand was on me…” {Jeremiah 15:17 NIV} For some reason we assume that as soon as God calls us, we’re supposed to run off to do a 10 - day revival in Africa, but what happens when God’s hand is on you and all He wants you to do is sit down? I did 9 years of tent revival, but God did not allow me to do a 10th revival, He already knew what was going to take place in 2020. He shut it down and had me to sit to get His instructions on what was next in accomplishing the mission of Jesus. SELAH! Believe it or not, but sometimes your anointing won’t flow while you’re standing up in the pulpit, but when you’re sitting down in the pew!
Even our Patriarch Jacob had an “ALONE” moment: “So JACOB was left ALONE, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.” (Genesis 32:24 NIV). And what happened in this alone time? Jacob received a name change and a blessing! Dare I ask, what are you missing out on and messing up in, all because you want to bring 10 people to a table set up by God as a table for two!
Like it or not, but Many of Your Greatest Spiritual Victories Come From the Battles God Calls You to Fight When YOU’RE ALONE! Most times He outlines and clarifies His plans for your life when there’s NOBODY ELSE AROUND! That’s because He wants YOU to be more Influenced By HIM, than ANYONE ELSE!
When God’s grooming you for a special work you’ll be Required to Spend Time Outside the Company of Others. And does that make the others bad? No, just not full-time necessities! Even Jesus knew how to divide His time between the 12 Apostles, the 3 Inner Circle, and when it was necessary to just be alone By Himself! And the same goes for you! You don’t always need an entourage; you don’t always need your boys or your girls; you don’t always need all the armor bearers and adjutants; you don’t always need the whole men and women’s ministries! You can’t always take your family, friends, your network, your social media ‘friends’, your church, your ministry, your business, etc.…Sometimes It Will Only Be YOU!
Now, can you imagine if any of these men forfeited their alone time with God? Moses would have missed the presence of God; Elijah would have missed the voice of God; Daniel would have missed the vision of God; Jeremiah would have missed the assignment of God and Jacob would have missed the blessing of breakthrough with God. Which makes me wonder, in forfeiting your alone time, how much of God have you missed out on? Has the crowd cost you the presence of God; the voice of God; the vision of God; the assignment of God; the blessing of breakthrough from God? Was your alone time worth what it cost you to lose God in the crowd?
Listen, your alone time is good and vital!
But the problem with many is that they confuse ALONE and LONELY. They are NOT one in the same. People who are LONELY can feel that way Even When Standing In the Middle of Grand Central Station! They can be right in the Midst of a Crowd and Still Feel Deserted.
But those who are ALONE, are usually “PURPOSELY” so!
When I have to teach or preach, I purposely spend time ALONE because I Don’t Want Any Outside Distraction or Interference With Me Hearing God’s Directives Clearly. I need to hear what He wants me to say and do, and to be sure I hear Him Alone, I need time Alone with Him! And I feel no sadness or despair, I don’t feel abandoned or left out, because I DELIBERATELY do as Jesus did and “…often go to some place where [I can] BE ALONE AND PRAY” (Luke 5:16 CEV).
Jesus, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, Daniel and Jeremiah all spent time ALONE Because of the Assignment On Their Lives to Fulfill. Likewise, YOU Will Have to Spend Time ALONE To Fulfill the Assignment That Has Been Mandated For Your Life. And that’s difficult to accomplish when you’re so wrapped up in the lives of others.
Which is why you need to prepare yourselves because there will be seasons in which you have to “…come out from among them and be ye separated…” (AND THAT INCLUDES BELIEVERS AND NON-BELIEVERS ALIKE) Why? Because oftentimes you’ll experience what Jesus experienced: “And when daybreak came, He left [Peter’s house] and went into an ISOLATED [DESERT] PLACE. And the people looked for Him until they came up to Him and tried to prevent Him from leaving them” (Luke 4:42 AMPC)
You’ve Got To Realize That Your Time ALONE With God Is VITAL, And NEEDS To Be Respected, Even By Those Who Need You The Most!
As soon as Jesus went to be ALONE, HERE COMES THE CROWD! “The next morning Jesus went out to a place where He could be alone, and crowds came looking for Him. When they found Him, they tried to stop Him from leaving.” (CEV)
Max Lucado said it best: “A Man Who Wants To Lead The Orchestra Must Turn His Back On The Crowd” You Can’t Fulfill Your Vision to Lead the Orchestra While Focusing On the Audience! And Sometimes The Hardest Thing to Do Is Walk Away From Those Who Want to Walk With You…But Can’t! The Bible says, “…they tried to stop Him from leaving.” And people in your life will do the very same thing to you. And it’s not because of something bad either. But when you have an assignment and anointing on your life, you are a blessing to the lives of people, and who wants to be apart from a blessing? Of course, they want to cling to you, they’ve heard God preached, taught and prayed through you. You’ve been a blessing to them. And still, you must know when to turn your back on the crowd, spend alone time with God, and finish fulfilling your assignment.
Another translation says it like this: “…And Tried To Keep Him From Going Away From Them” Another Hard Truth? People Who Can’t Go Where You’re Going Will Attempt To Stop You From Going Anywhere! If they can’t go with you, they don’t want you to go at all! So, how did Jesus’ handle this? The Bible says, “…But He replied, “I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God IN OTHER PLACES TOO, FOR THAT IS WHY I WAS SENT. SO, HE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL AROUND PREACHING IN SYNAGOGUES THROUGHOUT JUDEA.” (vss. 43-44 TLB) Don’t get so busy and caught up in ministry, crowds, assignments, and life, that you get distracted and derailed! Don’t get stuck where you were never supposed to stay! Jesus deliberately went to spend alone time, got away from the crowds, informed them of why He couldn’t stay in the same place with them, and He kept on preaching! Family, know how to pull away before you press forward! Even Jesus didn’t attempt to keep preaching UNTIL AFTER He spent alone time away from the crowds! Remember, He is your example to follow!
Sadly, so many are busy self-promoting themselves and running after people, places, and things, they’re missing out on time with God. The crowd has become more important than the closet! The greatest mistake you can ever make is to spend all your time with the people in the crowd, and yet having no time to spend with God alone in the prayer closet. Far too many of us will quickly take an assignment from God, and yet not have any time on our agenda for Him. Oh, we’ll accept a full itinerary for ministry to travel all over the world, yet at the same time, God can’t get five minutes with us on our face in the living room!
Listen, far too often, God speaks in a STILL, SMALL VOICE, and when we’re so caught up in the Need To Have Someone Around Us, Their Voice Has a Way of Amplifying Itself Above His! Which isn’t hard to do, because remember, HE’S NOT YELLING, SCREAMING OR GRABBING AT YOUR EAR…HE’S SPEAKING IN A STILL, SMALL VOICE. And It’s Hard To Hear Direction From God When Mike’s Voice Is Directing You To The Movies, Keisha’s Voice Is Directing You To The Concert, Alicia’s Voice Is Directing You To Olive Garden, Tim’s Voice Is Directing You To The Football Game, Craig’s Voice Is Directing You To The Sales At the Men’s Warehouse, the 15% off at the Barbershop, and the Buy One Get One Free at DSW!
And to bring it further home for us “CHURCH FOLKS”, It’s Also Hard To Hear Direction From God When You’re Singing On The Choir, Overseeing The Youth Group, Setting Up for the Church Meeting, Preparing Communion, Planning Anniversary Celebrations and Driving the Church Van, ALL AT THE SAME TIME!
STOP CONFUSING ACTIVITY WITH PRODUCTIVITY! JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE BUSY DOESN’T MEAN YOU’RE FULFILLING THE WILL OF GOD FOR YOUR LIFE! CHURCH WORK AND KINGDOM WORK ARE JUST AS DIFFERENT AS LONELY AND ALONE! TOO OFTEN WHAT WE DO IN THE CHURCH ISN’T WHAT HE’S CALLED US TO DO IN THE KINGDOM ANYWAY! AND I’D RATHER BE A PART OF THE PLANS OF GOD FOR THE KINGDOM THAN MISS OUT BECAUSE I WAS TOO BUSY BEING A PART OF THE PROGRAMS OF THE CHURCH, THAT HE NEVER ASSIGNED TO MY HANDS IN THE FIRST PLACE!
That’s why we’ve got to learn the NECESSITY of FOLLOWING JESUS’ EXAMPLE: “Very early the next morning, JESUS got up and went to a place WHERE HE COULD BE ALONE AND PRAY” (Mark 1:35 CEV).
GUARD YOUR ALONE TIME WITH GOD! IT’S THE PLACE WHERE YOU SEEK HIM AND HIS WILL FOR YOUR LIFE! IT’S THE “SOLITARY PLACE” WHERE YOU AND HIM ALONE SPEND QUALITY TIME TOGETHER! The word ‘solitary’ is defined as ‘done or existing alone; secluded or isolated; single; and only.’ Its Latin origin ‘solitarius,’ from ‘solus’ literally means, ‘alone.’ God loves you so much He desires to have you secluded; isolated; and alone. Only you! Single, meaning ONE, and you are that ONE! Do you even realize just how treasured you are by God that in all His greatness, all He wants to do is spend alone time with YOU alone. Is He really asking too much? I think not.
Hear God’s Heart, He Has Already PROMISED: “…Call to Me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out ON YOUR OWN.” (Jeremiah 33:3 MSG). IF YOU WOULD ONLY GET TO A QUIET PLACE ALONE WITH GOD, YOU COULD FINALLY STOP TRYING TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT ON YOUR OWN! ALL YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO IS CALL AND HE’LL ANSWER AND TELL YOU MARVELOUS AND WONDROUS THINGS! THAT’S CERTAINLY A LOT LESS STRESSFUL THAN THE WAY YOU’VE BEEN DOING IT DON’T YOU THINK? He said, ‘CALL ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOU…’ But we’re too busy talking and texting everybody else! But doesn’t it make you wonder what you’re missing out on receiving from God, and all because you took your QUESTIONS to THEM when only He said, “I WILL ANSWER YOU.”
Listen, the Crowd will kill you, just ask Jesus!
If Jesus made time to be alone, we are certainly not busier than He that we can’t do the same. You have a lot of responsibility to meet, and that can’t be done with your agenda alone. You need time away with God, His plans are more important than your agenda and His purpose is more important than your itinerary! Getting away from the crowd and in some alone time with God will grant you insider information on how to be a better man, woman, husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, teacher, preacher, leader, believer, and person in general. You can’t get that from yourself or the crowd, only God, and He’s still speaking in a still small voice. If you don’t get away from THEM, you’ll never hear HIM, and surely what He’s got to say supersedes anything they do.
Time spent alone with God is never wasted. Today, rearrange your schedule and MAKE alone time for God! One of the best gifts we can give ourselves is time alone with God. Spending time with God, puts everything else in perspective.
“If you are feeling impatient, irritable, bitter, forgetful, disorganized, and disconnected from God, it’s time to tend to your soul. Grab your Bible. Get alone with God.” (Courtney Joseph)
“Sometimes loneliness is God’s cry for time with you.” (Author Unknown)
“We can be tired, weary, and emotionally distraught, but after spending time alone with God, we find that He injects into our bodies energy, power and strength.” (Charles Stanley)
Blessings
J.P. Olson
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