Revive Church San Antonio

What is solitude?

As you connect with God through solitude, you are getting alone to be with the Lord. You intentionally remove all distractions and set your eyes on Him. When you set aside this quality one on one time with God, you are telling Him “I just want you.” Solitude reminds us of our heart’s cry to be one with our Maker. It’s in this intimacy with God that you gain spiritual ground!

When Moses went up the mountain to commune with God, that mountain was made holy. Likewise, when you meet with God in places of solitude, you are putting a stake in the ground and saying, “This place belongs to the Lord!” This is expanding spiritual territory.

From the world’s perspective, solitude might be mistaken for isolation, but when you connect with God in solitude, you are quieting your mind to grow in intimacy with God and hear His heart for you and the world around you. You are never lonely in solitude because Jesus promises that He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).

SOLITUDE CONNECTION GUIDE

Where do I start?

Find a place where you are most comfortable being by yourself. This is typically a place where you can release all thoughts, emotions, and expressions to the Lord without the concern of what anyone thinks around you. Once you’re in that place, get rid of all distractions and invite the Holy Spirit into your encounter time. Wait until you feel Him enter the room. Acknowledge His presence. Adore Him. Ask Him to speak to you and teach you more about Him. Ask Him to reveal things about yourself first and others in your life. Listen and write down what He says. Steward His voice and let it take root in you.

What does it look like in my everyday life?

In the midst of the day-to-day mundane tasks, the downtown rush, the busy workday, the screaming children, learn the art of tuning out the world and tuning into God. Silence the world around you and quiet your mind. Ask Him verbally, “God, where are you right now?” Seek Him out in the chaos, in the loud voices, in the hype worship set. Don’t get too caught up in what is in front of you, that you miss Him walk by. When you feel Him stand right next to you or anywhere around you, acknowledge His presence. Find your focus and bring adoration to Him. You may need to close your eyes, ask Him to remove distractions, or move in a certain place in the room. He will give you practical steps to meeting with Him wherever you are! Ask Him what He wants to do next — where does He want to go, what does He want to do? Steward the small yeses of obedience in these moments or solitude. Doing this will fine tune your ear to hear God for the bigger yeses down the line.

What are the benefits of connecting with God through solitude?

- You grow deeper in intimacy + relationship with God. A relationship grows when there is intentional one on one time!

- You learn how to distinguish between His voice versus the voices of those around you because it is in solitude that you get quiet and remove distractions to seek God’s voice!

- Solitude gives you a healthy perspective of alone time without the feeling of loneliness.

- You learn more about God’s heart by giving Him yours. This allows you to know what true steadfast love looks like.

- There’s an increase of discernment as you steward solitude in different atmospheres. You begin to know when God is in the room, when He is grieved, or when He has not been invited. Through solitude, you receive a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit!

- You become a friend of God by being intentional with your time with Him. The fruit of solitude is God releasing your identity, and revealing His identity to you.

- Most people focus on feeling God when they connect with Him. When you are connecting with God through solitude, you make sure He feels you!

Scriptures that support connecting with God through solitude

Matthew 26: 36-46 | Jesus at Gethsemane

Matthew 14: 13-33 | John the Baptist Beheaded/Feed 5000/Walking on Water

Genesis 32: 22-30 | Jacob Wrestles with God

Genesis 39: 19-23 | Joseph in Prison

Music/Resources to develop your connection with God through solitude

Instrumental Worship Music

- William Augusto

- Soaking In the Presence

- Dappy T Keys

- Eric Gilmour Music

Books

- Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge

- Good Morning Holy Spirit by Benny Hinn

Grow in how you connect with God

Learning how we connect with God shows us how we can enter into His presence daily. While you may have a best way to connect with Him, you can connect with God in all the ways. Use this guide below to help you grow in connecting with God through Solitude by pairing it with your favorite way.

Solitude + Adoration

Quiet your mind and let God minister to you through music. Listen to instrumental worship music and soak in His presence. Sing to God in solitude! Set aside intentional time with Him with no agenda other than worshiping Him, loving on Him, and adorning Him with praise!

Solitude + Creation

Schedule a time to go outside and get alone with God in His creation. Whether at a river, the local park or just in your backyard, invite His presence where you are. Declare the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. Listen in to the sounds you’re hearing and how creation worships the Lord. Let this alone time outside with God be an invitation to admire the work of His hands all around you!

Solitude + Compassion

Take intentional moments with the Lord throughout the day to ask His heart for His children, and ways that you can best show compassion and love towards them. As you serve those around you, give away your relationship with God. Find moments to sneak away mentally or physically and tell God you love Him!

Solitude + Conversation

In your alone time, come prepared with questions for God and be ready to listen and dialogue. Know that He wants to speak back to you and He will! As you hear back from God, let His words fall on good soil and take root in you. Practice finding the Lord in the conversations you have with others and listen for the kicks in your spirit. That’s God talking to you!

Solitude + Expression

Bring your favorite creative expression into your alone time with God. Set your eyes on Him and let Him lead the dance. Set aside anything that might normally try to distract from your expression. Quiet your mind and invite the Holy Spirit into the room. Let your expression be an offering of worship unto the Lord. Whether you feel Him or not, make sure He feels you and your intentionality to listen for Him and wait on His response.

Solitude + Fasting

As you fast, make room for more moments of solitude with the Lord. When we fast, we can sometimes unknowingly fill the empty space with things that aren’t God. Make sure what you take away, you give back to God. If you can, take a weekend or day to get alone with God during your fast. Quiet your mind and listen for His voice.

Solitude + Learning

Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you about Jesus. Bring your Bible, concordance, and other helpful resources to this time for a study session led by the Holy Spirit. Allow Him to take you off course and lead the way. He has a new revelation He wants to release to you in your learning time alone with Him! Take care to study scriptures that share when Jesus went to be in solitude. What can you take away from these moments?

Solitude + Meditation

In your alone time, read scripture slowly and allow it to go from your mind, into your heart. Pray and declare specific scripture over yourself and your loved ones. As you continue to meditate on that scripture, steward it as you go about your day-to-day tasks. Stay in communion with the Holy Spirit and let what you learned in intimacy with God transform you!

Solitude + Movement

Walk, jog, run, dance, or pace with God right beside you. Invite Him into the places your feet hit the ground. Declare that these places belong to God and that no spirit is welcome there but the Holy Spirit. Give Him the territory of your mind as you move. Pray in your heavenly language and steward what He’s speaking to you as you get alone with Him through movement.

Solitude + Reformation

Let the Lord work reformation in You as you spend alone time with Him. Practice intercession and ask for a breaking in your heart for what breaks His heart. Ask God for His heart and how to establish His kingdom on the earth in reformation. Be intentional as you bring your petitions to God in solitude.

Solitude + Remembrance

As you spend alone time with God, tell Him just how good He is! Remind the Lord what He has done in your life and spoken to you. Express gratitude and thankfulness for all that He has done and all that He will continue to do. Look back in old journals and think back to past moments where you’ve felt Him or heard His voice. Know that He wants to take you from glory to glory, not just in life but also in your encounters with Him!