Series: I Need Help Getting The Monkey Off My Back

Part 4 - Dealing With Monkeys Of Lonely Solitary Emotions

INTRO: Have you ever had a problem dealing with something in life that seemed to have control over you? Well I am going to deal with some things that are kind of like a "monkey on your back" kind of thing.

So, today when we hear the term, they have a monkey on their back, they are having a terrible time dealing with an issue, habit, or even a sin in their lives. I want to start a series dealing with some of these things people face in life.

Today I want to continue looking at the Monkey of Strong Emotions. Three weeks ago, I dealt with envy and jealousy. Envy and jealousy are real relationship killers. Last week we dealt with hateful emotions that Satan uses against all of us at one time or another. Today, I want to look at loneliness.

Loneliness happens (especially when we are alone)

God knew that

Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

We can see that (Trinity relationship)

God's Word echoes that

Psalms 25:16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.

Psalms 102:7 I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.

Psalms 142:4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

God's Son experienced it

John 16:32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

God sees that it will continue to happen without His being involved

Shows we are not alone in our loneliness

Prodigal son had loneliness written all over his actions

Luke 15:16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

The beggar Lazarus' sickness isolated others from him

Luke 16:20 - 21 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

The impotent man was all alone

John 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

Paul is an example of experiencing loneliness

2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

2 Timothy 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

But he was not tainted (towards his deserters) by it - 17

2 Timothy 4:17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

Nor was his trust in God terminated because of it - 18

2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Loneliness harms

Satan gains a grip on our lives (the Gadarean)

Luke 8:29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

Satan begs to be heard in our minds (as Job struggled alone)

Job 7:16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

 

 

Satan steals away the cheer from us (like Elijah)

1 Kings 19:3 - 5 3And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

5And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

Satan wants to control and steer our direction in life

We can fill in the blanks in our lives of what lonely people turn to instead of God…

Alcohol, drugs, compulsive behavior and habits, unsatisfying sexual relationships, prostitution, pornography, etc.

Jeremiah 20:14 - 18 14Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

15Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.

16And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;

17Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.

18Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

Loneliness healing can happen

When we look towards God

Job 16:20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

When prayer begins to fill our alone time (especially as we age)

1 Timothy 5:5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

When we follow Jesus' example

As a rule of practice

Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Luke 5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

To relieve a perilous predicament or persistent problem

Luke 22:39 - 46 39And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

40And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

41And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

42Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

43And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

44And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

45And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

46And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

To reconnect with providence periodically

Matthew 14:23 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.

 

And last I want to look at…

Loneliness handled (God's way)

Draw nigh to God

James 4:8 - 10 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

He hears

He knows

He cares

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

 

 

 

 

 

Use God's safe nets

Family

Psalms 68:6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

Marriage

Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

Friends

Genesis 24:67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Helping others in God's work

Ecclesiastes 4:10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

2 Corinthians 1:3 - 11 3Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

4Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

5For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

6And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

7And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

8For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

9But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

10Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

11Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

 

Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 110407am