Masters at Working Alone
by Pastor Dag Heward-MIlls
And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, HE WAS THERE ALONE
Matthew 14:23
SERPENTS ARE WISE BECAUSE THEY CAN LIVE AND WORK ALONE
Snakes are often found on their own. Most of us have discovered a solitary snake somewhere in the garden before. A snake is not found with its mother, father or any other brothers. Snakes are experts at living alone. Snakes do not miss the company of others and do not seek the friendship and fellowship of other likeminded snakes.
Snakes are solitary animals that travel and live alone. Snakes have the ability to live in groups or to live alone for long times. There are things you cannot do in a group. You must also value being alone! Jesus Christ was alone many times. It was necessary that He was alone.
Every leader must accept that there are times he is alone in his decisions, in his ways and in his challenges. No one can understand you because no one is in your position! To be a leader is to be alone many times! To be wise as a serpent, you must learn to be alone when you have to be alone. You will notice how Jesus was alone many times. Because leaders are alone in their challenges, they are often alone in their victories. This is why leaders earn far more than anyone else.
Ten Times Jesus Was Alone
1.Jesus was alone when he went to pray a great while before day.
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Mark 1:35
2.Jesus was alone when He went into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
Luke 4:1-2
3.Jesus was alone when he went up to the mountain to pray and choose his disciples.
And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles
Luke 6:12-13
4.Jesus was alone when he was witnessing to the woman of Samaria.
There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
John 4:7-8
5. Jesus was alone when he came walking on the water to His disciples.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
Matthew 14:25
6. Jesus was alone praying in Gethsemane.
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Matthew 26:39
7. Jesus was alone when they were beating him at the Chief Priest and the elders.
Then the high priest tore his robes, saying, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; what do you think?” They answered and said, “He is deserving of death!”
Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him,”
Matthew 26:62-67 (NASB)
8.Jesus was alone when he was interrogated by Pontius Pilate.
And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?
Matthew 27:11-13
9. Jesus was alone when He was beaten by the soldiers
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him.
And they stripped Him, and put a scarlet robe on Him.
And after weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they kneeled down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
And they spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head.
Matthew 27:27-30 (NASB)
10. Jesus was alone on the cross. None of the other disciples was on the cross with him.
And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, they gave Him wine to drink mingled with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink.
And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots; and sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there.
Matthew 27:33-36 (NASB)
Seven Things You Will Accomplish When You Are Alone with God
1. When you are alone with someone, you become close and intimate. There is a certain amount of closeness that you cannot have when you are having a group meeting. When you are alone with someone, you develop a far closer relationship than when you are in a group.
You are not so close to God because you never have times with Him alone.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
1 John 1:1-2
2. When you are alone with someone, you develop a bond that cannot easily be acquired in public. Sometimes you cannot understand the bond that exists between people. These bonds are often created when people are together alone.
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:3
3. When you are alone with someone, you acquire knowledge that you cannot acquire in public. You will know God in a much deeper way when you spend time alone with Him. Listen to Paul’s prayer: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10).
4. When you are alone with someone, you can receive an impartation that you cannot receive in public. The private impartation is often the most important impartation in your life. Through this impartation when you are alone, you can become very fruitful. Adam knew his wife, obviously not in public. “And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew” (Genesis 4:25). In 1988, I received an impartation of the anointing. It was 2.00am in the morning and I was all alone in my room in a remote town in Ghana.
5.When you are alone with someone, you can pray private prayers and make private petitions.
Private prayers have promise of great reward. Jesus promised that we would have open rewards for secret prayers.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and THY FATHER WHICH SEETH IN SECRET SHALL REWARD THEE OPENLY.
Matthew 6:6
6. When you are alone, you can fast and receive the greatest blessing of fasting when alone. The greatest blessing for fasting is revealed when you fast privately.
But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and THY FATHER, WHICH SEETH IN SECRET, SHALL REWARD THEE OPENLY.
Matthew 6:17-18
7. The greatest blessing of giving is released when you give privately. As you can see, God has reserved special blessings for dealings that are done privately with Him. Don’t shy away from being alone with God. It leads to the greatest blessing.
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and THY FATHER WHICH SEETH IN SECRET HIMSELF SHALL REWARD THEE OPENLY
Matthew 6:3-4
