From the Pastor’s Study

By Rev. Vernon McGarvey

Apostolic Pentecostal Church

Defeating Loneliness

No matter how successful we are, at sometime the enemy will eventually try the old hammer of isolation on us. He knows that a soldier cut-off from the flow of the main force is an easier target. This is especially true if we begin to believe that no one cares about us, and we allow the destructive feelings of loneliness to begin to grip us.

The word “alone” appears in the scriptures more than one hundred times. The majority of times, it does not imply a state of loneliness. So, alone does not necessitate loneliness. One definition of loneliness is a feeling of being unaccepted or not belonging. These are very real human emotions, which the enemy capitalizes upon with suggestions of why we do not fit in or belong. When we begin to accept these ideas and dwell upon the oversights and the slights of others, a stronghold of resentment and bitterness begins to build in our spirit. Further isolation is added by avoiding certain people and activities because we perceive ourselves as unwanted. Clouds of negative thoughts prevent us from receiving fresh supplies of faith and the ammunition of the Word. Flashes of doubt, shots of unbelief, and bursts of discontentment begin to close in on us. Hard on the heels of these quickly multiplying troops is a large company of self-pity. We accept the sentence of loneliness with an air of resignation as though it is our fate in life.

All of us need close fellowship with God, others, and ourselves. A void in any of these areas can produce a feeling of loneliness. Here are four ways to win in a confrontation with loneliness:

1. Develop a close walk with God in daily fellowship. Intimate contact with God is based on the bedrock of honesty. The depth of our honesty is the measuring stick that controls the depth of our fellowship.

2. Allow the fruit of the Spirit to control you (Galatians 5:22). The fruit of the Spirit fulfills the mind of Christ, develops the character of Christ, works the will of Christ. Each fruit effects our relationships with people.

3. Realize that the love of God for you is great enough to carry you, to provide for you, to deliver you (1 John 4:4-10).

4. Stay active with other people. Do not retreat into yourself. Remember that God did not send Elijah three days into the desert, but God was gracious enough to come to his rescue with meals on wings.

Now is the time to use these weapons to combat loneliness before it can take advantage of us. Store these weapons in a place close at hand for easy access. Share them with others and be strengthened as you do.