1. Kuyini okwakusenza izinceku zikaJehova zakudala zibe lamandla?

 IZIKHATHI ezinengi iBhayibhili litshengisa ukuthi amadoda akudala ayethembekile kuJehova ayelamandla. Lanxa kunjalo ngezinye izikhathi ayezizwa engelamandla. Ngokwesibonelo, ngezinye izikhathi iNkosi uDavida yayizibona ‘iqine njengentaba’ kodwa ngezinye ‘yayisesaba.’ (Hubo. 30:7) Umoya kaNkulunkulu wawusenza ukuthi uSamsoni abe lamandla kakhulu njalo laye wayekunanzelela ukuthi nxa uNkulunkulu wayengayekela ukumncedisa ‘wayezaphela amandla afanane labantu bonke nje.’ (Abahlu. 14:​5, 6; 16:17) Amadoda la ayethembekile kuJehova ayelamandla ngoba ayencediswa nguJehova.

2. Kungani uPhawuli wathi nxa ebuthakathaka kulapho ayabe elamandla? (U-2 Khorinte 12:​9, 10)

² Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi laye wayewadinga amandla avela kuNkulunkulu. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 12:​9, 10.) UPhawuli laye wayelohlupho lwezempilakahle njengabanye bethu. (Gal. 4:​13, 14) Ngezinye izikhathi wayekuthola kunzima ukuthi enze okulungileyo. (Rom. 7:​18, 19) Kanti njalo wayeke atshaywe luvalo akhathazeke ngokuthi ikusasa limphatheleni. (2 Khor. 1:​8, 9) Lanxa kunjalo ngesikhathi ebuthakathaka kulapho ayelamandla khona, ewaphiwa nguJehova. UJehova wayemqinisa ukuze amelane lobunzima ayehlangana labo.

3. Yiphi imibuzo ezaphendulwa esihlokweni lesi?

³ UJehova uthembisa ukuthi lathi uzasiqinisa asenze sibe lamandla. (1 Phet. 5:10) Kodwa lathi kukhona okumele sikwenze ukuze sithole amandla avela kuNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, isikotsho senza kube lula ukuthi abantu bathole amanzi.  Kodwa umuntu kumele akotshoze ukuze amanzi aphume. Ngendlela efananayo uJehova uhlala ekulungele ukusipha amandla kodwa kulokuthile okumele sikwenze ukuze asiphe wona. Kuyini uJehova asenzele khona ukuze sithole amandla? Kuyini okumele sikwenze ukuze sithole amandla avela kuye? Impendulo zemibuzo le sizazithola ngokuhlola ukuthi uJehova wamqinisa njani umphrofethi uJona loMariya unina kaJesu kanye lomphostoli uPhawuli. Sizabona lokuthi uJehova uziqinisa njani izinceku zakhe khathesi.

4. Kumele senzeni ukuze sithole amandla avela kuJehova?

⁴ Eyinye indlela esingathola ngayo amandla avela kuJehova yikuthandaza kuye. UJehova angaphendula imithandazo yethu ngokusinika “amandla amakhulu futhi angajayelekanga.” (2 Khor. 4:7) Okunye okungasinceda sithole amandla yikubala iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lokucabangisisa ngalokho elikutshoyo. (Hubo. 86:11) Amazwi kaJehova aseBhayibhilini ‘alamandla.’ (Heb. 4:12) Nxa ungathandaza kuJehova njalo ubale iLizwi lakhe uzathola amandla azakunceda ukuthi uqinisele, uhlale uthokoza futhi wenze umsebenzi owuphiweyo lanxa ungakhanya angathi unzima. Asixoxeni ngokuthi uJehova wamqinisa njani umphrofethi uJona.

5. Kungani umphrofethi uJona wayewadinga amandla?

⁵ UJona wayewadinga amandla ngesikhathi esesiswini senhlanzi enkulu. Wesaba ukuya lapho uJehova ayemthume khona yikho wahamba wayagada umkhumbi owawusiya kweyinye indawo. Ngenxa yalokho yena labanye ababesemkhunjini baphosa babulawa yisiphepho esikhulu esaqubuka elwandle. Ababetshayela umkhumbi bathi sebemjikele elwandle waginywa yinhlanzi enkulu, wazithola esesemnyameni esiswini senhlanzi. Ubona angani uJona wayesizwa njani ngalesosikhathi? Mhlawumbe wayesecabanga ukuthi lelo kwasekulingcwaba lakhe. Kungenzeka wayesebona angani uJehova wayesemlahlile. Kufanele ukuthi uJona wayekhathazeke kakhulu.

6. UJona 2:​1, 2, 7 uveza ukuthi uJona wenzani ukuze athole amandla ngesikhathi esesiswini senhlanzi?

⁶ UJona wenzani ukuze athole amandla ngesikhathi esesiswini senhlanzi? Wathandaza kuJehova. (Bala uJona 2:​1, 2, 7.) Lanxa uJona wayengamlalelanga uJehova, wayeqiniseka ukuthi uzawuphendula umthandazo wakhe ngoba wayezisola ngalokho ayekwenzile. UJona wacabangisisa langeMibhalo. Sikwazi njani lokho? Umthandazo wakhe obhalwe kuJona isahluko 2 ulamazwi lemitsho eminengi etholakala kumaHubo. (Ngokwesibonelo, khangela uJona 2:​2, 5 loHubo 69:1; 86:7.) Kuyacaca ukuthi uJona wayeyazi kuhle iMibhalo leyo. Ukucabangisisa ngayo kwenza waqiniseka ukuthi uJehova wayezamnceda. UJehova wamsindisa uJona futhi ngemva kwesikhathi wayesekulungele ukwenza umsebenzi uJehova ayemnike wona.—Jona. 2:10–3:4.

7-8. Umfowethu uZhiming wawathola njani amandla ngesikhathi esebunzimeni?

⁷ Lathi kungasinceda ukwenza lokho okwenziwa nguJona ngesikhathi esebunzimeni. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye umfowethu okuthiwa nguZhiming b ohlala eTaiwan ulemikhuhlane emthwalise nzima. Phezu kwalokho, abangakibo bayamhlukuluza ngenxa yokuthi ukhonza uJehova. Okumnceda ukuthi abe lamandla yikuthandaza lokutaditsha. Uthi: “Ngezinye izikhathi nxa ngiphakathi  kobunzima ngiyakhathazeka kakhulu ngize ngehluleke lokutaditsha.” Lanxa kunjalo kakhalali. Uqhubeka esithi: “Okokuqala engikwenzayo yikuthandaza kuJehova. Ngemva kwalokho ngiyafaka ama-earphone endlebeni ngilalele ingoma zoMbuso. Ngezinye izikhathi ngiyazihlabela ngelizwi eliphansi ngize ngibe ngcono, besengiqalisa ukutaditsha.”

⁸ Izinto uZhiming azifunda nxa etaditsha ziyamnika amandla okubekezelela ubunzima ayabe ephakathi kwabo. Ngokwesibonelo wathi esanda nje uku-opharethwa, omunye umongikazi wamtshela ukuthi wayelegazi elilutshwana njalo kwakuzadingeka ukuthi afakwe elinye igazi. Ngobusuku uZhiming ezavuka e-opharethwa wayebale ngomunye udade owa-opharethwayo owayelomkhuhlane onjengowakhe. Igazi likadade lo lalililutshwana kulelikaZhiming kodwa wasila lanxa engazange avume ukufakwa igazi. Indaba kadade lo yamnceda uZhiming ukuthi aqhubeke ethembekile.

9. Kuyini ongakwenza ukuze uthole amandla nxa usebunzimeni? (Khangela lemifanekiso.)

⁹ Nxa uphakathi kobunzima, uyake ukhathazeke kakhulu yini kuze kube nzima lokukhuleka? Uyake uphele amandla uze wehluleke lokutaditsha? Khumbula ukuthi uJehova ubazi kuhle ubunzima ophakathi kwabo. Yikho lanxa ungaze wenze umthandazo omfitshane, qiniseka ukuthi uzakunika khona kanye okudingayo. (Efe. 3:20) Nxa kuyikuthi uyagula kakhulu, udiniwe kumbe ukhathazeke kakhulu okokuthi ngeke wenelise ukubala lokutaditsha, zama ukulalela iBhayibhili lamabhuku ethu arekhodiweyo. Okunye okungakunceda yikulalela ingoma zethu kumbe ukubukela ividiyo ku-jw.org. UJehova uzakunika amandla nxa ungathandaza kuye njalo udinge impendulo zemithandazo yakho ngokubala iBhayibhili kanye lokusebenzisa konke okunye asiphe khona.

10. Abafowethu labodadewethu bangasinceda njani?

¹⁰ UJehova angasebenzisa abafowethu labodadewethu esikhonza labo ukuthi basiqinise. ‘Bangasiduduza kakhulu’ nxa sisebunzimeni kumbe siphiwe umsebenzi onzima. (Kol. 4:​10, 11) Vele siyabadinga abangane abangasiqinisa  “ngezikhathi zobunzima.” (Zaga. 17:17) Nxa sesiphela amandla ngenxa yobunzima, abafowethu labodadewethu bangasinika lokho esikudingayo, basiduduze njalo basikhuthaze ukuthi siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova sithembekile. Ake sixoxe ngokuthi abanye bamncedisa njani uMariya unina kaJesu.

11. Kungani uMariya wayewadinga amandla?

¹¹ UMariya wayewadinga sibili amandla ukuze enze umsebenzi ayewuphiwe nguJehova. Ingilosi uGabriyeli yathi isimtshele ngomsebenzi lo oqakathekileyo, kufanele ukuthi uMariya wakhathazeka. Phela wayesezazithwala yena engatshadanga. Wayengakaze ondle umntwana kodwa kwasekumele akhulise umntwana owayezakuba nguMesiya. Kungenzeka wayezibuza lokuthi wayezamtshela njani uJosefa ayethandana laye ukuthi uzithwele yena engakaze alale lomuntu.—Luk. 1:​26-33.

12. ULukha 1:​39-45 uveza ukuthi uMariya wawathola njani amandla?

¹² Manje uMariya wawathola ngaphi amandla okwenza umsebenzi lo omkhulu futhi owawuqakathekile? Wadinga uncedo kwabanye. Ngokwesibonelo, wacela uGabriyeli ukuthi amchasisele okunengi ngomsebenzi lowo. (Luk. 1:34) Ngemva kwalokho uMariya wangena indlela wayavakatshela isihlobo sakhe okwakuthiwa ngu-Elizabethi esasihlala “edolobheni lakoJuda elalisezintabeni.” Lokho kwamnceda kakhulu. U-Elizabethi wamncoma uMariya njalo uJehova wenza ukuthi akhulume isiphrofetho esamkhuthazayo uMariya esasimayelana lendodana yakhe eyayisesiswini. (Bala uLukha 1:​39-45.) UMariya wathi konke uJehova “ukwenze ngengalo yakhe elamandla.” (Luk. 1:​46-51) UJehova wasebenzisa uGabriyeli lo-Elizabethi ukuze aqinise uMariya.

13. Udadewethu okuthiwa nguDasuri kwamnceda njani ukucela uncedo kwabanye?

¹³ NjengoMariya lawe ungaqiniswa ngabanye esikhonza labo. Omunye udade okuthiwa nguDasuri ohlala eBolivia laye wayekudinga uqiniswa. Wagulelwa nguyise njalo walaliswa esibhedlela ebanjwe umkhuhlane ongelaphekiyo. UDasuri wazimisela ngenhliziyo yonke ukuthi uzamgcina uyise. (1 Thim. 5:4) Kodwa lokho kwakungalula. UDasuri uthi: “Izikhathi ezinengi ngangiphelelwa ngamandla ngizwe ngingasenelisi ukuqhubeka ngimnakekela.” Kodwa walucela yini uncedo? Ekuqaliseni kazange alucele. Uthi: “Ngangingafuni ukuhlupha abazalwane ngoba ngangizitshela ukuthi uJehova nguye owayezangincedisa. Kodwa ngananzelela ukuthi ngangizehlukanisa labanye ngokuzama ukuzithwalela uhlupho lwami ngingedwa.” (Zaga. 18:1) UDasuri wacina ebhalela abanye abangane bakhe abalutshwana ebatshela ngokuthi isimo sasinjani. Uthi: “Ngiswele amazwi okuchasisa indlela abafowethu labodadewethu abangiqinisa ngayo. Babesiphathela ukudla esibhedlela futhi babengibalela amavesi eBhayibhili akhuthazayo. Kuyasithokozisa ukwazi ukuthi asisodwa, sisemulini kaJehova enkulu elabantu abazimisele ukusincedisa, abasizwelayo nxa siphakathi kobunzima njalo abasikhuthazayo.”

14. Kungani kumele sivume ukuncediswa ngabadala?

¹⁴ UJehova uphinde asebenzise abadala bebandla ukuze asinike amandla. Bayizipho azisebenzisayo ukuze asiqinise njalo asivuselele. (Isaya. 32:​1, 2) Yikho nxa ukhathazekile ungatshela abadala okukukhathazayo. Ungathikazi ukwamukela uncedo abazakupha lona. UJehova uyabasebenzisa ukuze akunike amandla.

15. Yiliphi ithemba amaKhristu wonke aliqakathekisayo?

¹⁵ Izithembiso eziseBhayibhilini zingakwenza ube lamandla. (Rom. 4:​3, 18-20) Amanye amaKhristu alethemba lokuphila ezulwini kuze kube nini lanini kanti amanye alethemba lokuphila emhlabeni omuhle olipharadayisi kuze kube phakade. Ithemba leli lenza sibe lamandla okumelana lezilingo, sitshumayele izindaba ezinhle futhi sincedise abafowethu labodadewethu. (1 Thes. 1:3) Ithemba leli yilo elaqinisa umphostoli uPhawuli.

16. Kungani umphostoli uPhawuli wayedinga amandla?

¹⁶ UPhawuli wayewadinga amandla. Encwadini ayibhalela abaseKhorinte wazifanisa lesitsha esibuthakathaka futhi ‘wayecindezelwa, eswela lokuthi enzeni, ehlukuluzwa futhi ewiselwa phansi.’ Ngezinye izikhathi impilo yakhe yayisengozini. (2 Khor. 4:​8-10) UPhawuli wabhala amazwi la ephakathi kohambo lwakhe lwesithathu engumnali. Ngesikhathi ewabhala wayengakwazi ukuthi usazokubona okukhulu. Wahlaselwa ngabantu, wabotshwa, wabhidlikelwa ngumkhumbi njalo wavalelwa ejele.

17. U-2 Khorinte 4:​16-18 uthi kuyini okwanika uPhawuli amandla okumelana lobunzima?

¹⁷ Okwenza uPhawuli waba lamandla yikucabangisisa ngethemba ayelalo. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 4:​16-18.) Watshela amaKhristu aseKhorinte ukuthi lanxa umzimba wakhe wawulokhu ‘usiba buthakathaka’ wayengasoze avume ukuthi lokhu kumqede amandla. UPhawuli wayecabangisisa ngekusasa lakhe ngoba ithemba ayelalo lokuphila ezulwini kuze kube nini lanini laliqakatheke kakhulu kuye futhi ‘liyinkazimulo enkulu okumangalisayo’ okokuthi wayezimisele ukumelana laloba yibuphi ubunzima ukuze athole umvuzo wakhe. Ukucabangisisa ngethemba lelo kwakumenza azizwe ‘esiba mutsha nsuku zonke.’

18. Ithemba limqinise njani uTihomir lemuli yakhe?

¹⁸ Umzalwane ohlala eBulgaria okuthiwa nguTihomir uqiniswa lithemba alalo. Eminyakeni  esanda kwedlula wafelwa ngumnawakhe okuthiwa nguZdravko engozini yomgwaqo. Ngemva kwengozi le kwadlula isikhathi eside uTihomir elokhu edabukile kakhulu. Okunceda yena lemuli yakhe yikucabanga ngokuthi ukuvuswa kwabafileyo kuzabe kunjani. Uthi: “Ngokwesibonelo, siyaxoxa ngokuthi sizahlangana ngaphi loZdravko lokuthi yikuphi ukudla esizamphekela khona lokuthi ngobani esizabanxusa ephathini yokumamukela nxa esevusiwe kanye lokuthi sizamxoxelani mayelana lensuku zokucina.“ UTihomir uthi ukucabanga ngethemba abalalo kunika imuli yakhe amandla okuqinisela lokulindela isikhathi sokuthi uJehova avuse umfowabo.

19. Kuyini ongakwenza ukuze uqinise ithemba lakho? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

¹⁹ Ungenzani ukuze uqinise ithemba lakho? Ngokwesibonelo, nxa ulethemba lokuphila phakade khonapha emhlabeni, bala amavesi aseBhayibhilini akhuluma ngepharadayisi njalo ucabangisise ngawo. (Isaya. 25:8; 32:​16-18) Cabanga ngokuthi impilo izabe isinjani emhlabeni omutsha, zibone usukuwo. Ubona bani? Yiphi imisindo oyizwayo? Uzwa njani? Okungakunceda ukuthi ucabange ngalokhu yikuhlola imifanekiso yepharadayisi esemabhukwini ethu kumbe ukubukela amavidiyo omculo, ngokwesibonelo ethi Emhlabeni Omutsha, Sekuseduze kumbe ethi Siyeza Isikhathi. Nxa singahlala sicabanga ngethemba lokuphila emhlabeni omutsha, inhlupho zethu zizakuba ‘ngezesikhatshana futhi zingatsho lutho.’ (2 Khor. 4:17) Ithemba olinikwe nguJehova lizakwenza ube lamandla.

20. Singawathola njani amandla?

²⁰ “UNkulunkulu uzasinika amandla” nxa sizizwa singelawo. (Hubo. 108:13) UJehova usesinike konke esikudingayo ukuze sibe lamandla. Yikho nxa udinga amandla okwenza umsebenzi owuphiweyo loba awokumelana lobunzima kumbe ufuna ukuhlala uthokoza, khuleka kuJehova ngenhliziyo yonke njalo utaditshe uwedwa ukuze akuncedise. Vuma ukukhuthazwa ngabafowenu labodadewenu abangamaKhristu. Hlala ucabanga ngethemba olalo ukuze lingafiphali. Nxa engenza njalo ‘uzaqiniswa ngamandla wonke avela emandleni [kaJehova] akhazimulayo ukuze uqinisele kukho konke, ubekezela futhi uthokoza.’—Kol. 1:11.