EAGLES VII

Solitude

Isaiah 40:28-31

²⁸ Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. ²⁹ He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength. ³⁰ Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, ³¹       But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Job 39:27-30

²⁷ Does the eagle mount up at your command, and make its nest on high? ²⁸On the rock it dwells and resides, on the crag of the rock and the stronghold. ²⁹   From there it spies out the prey; its eyes observe from afar. ³⁰ Its young ones suck up blood; and where the slain are, there it is.

Eagles fly alone at a high altitude and do not mix with sparrows or other smaller birds like geese. Birds of a feather flock together! No other bird goes to the height of the eagle. Eagles fly alone, never in a flock. 

The eagle delights in solitude because other birds are not able to fly as high, and the eagle itself flies high to spend quality time in solitude.

I.                   THE POWER OF SOLITUDE

A.    Makes our busy days more fruitful. If we begin each day with the Lord, setting our minds and hearts on Him and listening for His voice, He’ll guide us and make whatever we do more productive in service to Him.

B.    Repairs damage. After a hard day, when we just can’t handle anymore, a time of solitude with the Lord refuels us emotionally. All our troubles and anxieties are released, and we come away liberated and refreshed.

C.     Equips us to face the tough days. Time alone with the Lord enables us to face the trials, heartaches, and burdens of difficult days with calm confidence and assurance of His presence with us.

D.    Strips us of pride. In God’s presence, we begin to recognize His holiness, perfection, and power, and as a result, come to understand how lowly we are in comparison.

E.     Protects health. Stress affects our bodies and damages our health, but solitude with the Lord releases our anxiety, so we don’t have to suffer its harmful effects.

F.     Gives peace and joy. Times of solitude with God can still our hearts, quiet our spirits, and enable us to overcome, no matter what we’re facing in life.

G.    Produces greater trust in God. We rest in the knowledge that our heavenly Father will take care of us.

II.                THE PLACE OF SOLITUDE

A.     Jesus often visited this place

Mark 1:12

¹² Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. ¹³ And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.

Mark 1:6

⁶ Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

Mark 1:35

³⁵Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

Mark 1:45

⁴⁵ However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

Mark 2:13

¹³ Then He went out again by the sea, and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them.

Mark 2:23

²³ Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain.

Luke 6:12-13

¹² Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. ¹³ And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them, He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:

Matthew 14:13

¹³ When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.

Mark 6:31-32

³¹ And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. ³² So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

Matthew 14:23

²³ And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.

Mark 9:2

² Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.

John 7:10

¹⁰ But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. (Five days’ walk alone).

B.    He calls us to visit this place

Isaiah 30:15

¹⁵ For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not.

                        Psalm 46:10

¹⁰Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth!

III.             THE PATH OF SOLITUDE

Psalm 23:1-6

¹The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. ² He makes (causes) me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. ³He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. ⁴   Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. ⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. ⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

TIPS:

1.     Get alone with God daily

2.     Have a daily time in the Word

3.     Spend time journaling

4.     Plan several escapes throughout the day

5.     Practice the Sabbath Principle

Answer Key: Fruitful, damage, protect, visits