The 27-year-old France international ran the show in the first half at Cardiff on Saturday, and is back in the groove.
But many expect him to move on in January, probably back to France, and Pardew insists we cannot afford to make him part of Newcastle's future until things are sorted.
Alan Pardew: "He is so important for Newcastle, but we mustn't rely on him.
"His forward passing, his forward thinking got us back into the game at Everton, but there will be times when he is not there and we need to have that same attitude.
"He's a great player and this club needs great players.
"He is one of the players who gives us the consistency of performance every week, and that's what some of our guys are searching for.
"I have great respect for the players here. The group we have got, I think, is a good group.
"But we are just striving for what most teams are at the start of this Premier League - we are on the same points as Manchester United - we are striving for consistency of performance.
"Once you get past 10, 12 games, you should settle down and hopefully we will.
"We are off the back of a season last year that wasn't our best, and I think we are a little bit edgy from that.
"But I think we will settle down into what I hope will be a good season for us."