1. (a) Kubayini ipi oyilwa noSathana iqakathekile, khulukhulu namhlanjesi? (b) Sazi njani ukuthi singamhlula uSathana?

USATHANA ukikirizisana nabazesiweko abasese sephasini ‘nezinye izimvu.’ (Jwanisi 10:16) Esikhathini esifitjhanesi esimsaleleko, uDeveli uzimisele ukurhiriza ukukholwa kwenengi labantu bakaJehova ngendlela angakghona ngayo. (Funda isAmbulo 12:9, 12.) Kodwana singamhlula uSathana epini le. IBhayibheli lithi: “Nijamelane noSathana, uzanibalekela.”—Jakopo 4:7.

2, 3. (a) Kubayini uSathana afuna abantu bacabange ukuthi akekho? (b) Wazi njani bona uSathana ukhona?

² Abanye bayihleka ubudlhadlha indaba yokuthi uSathana ukhona. Kibo nawukhuluma ngoSathana namadimoni, bazicabangela ngenganekwana, amafilimu athusako, nakuma-video game. Abantwabo batjho ihlokwakho nayithatha kuhle, angekhe wathi batjho uyakholelwa emimoyeni emimbi. USathana yena-ke akayingeni yokuthi abantu bayakholwa kuthi ukhona namkha awa. Phela kuye kubulula khulu ukudlala ngalabo abangakholelwa ekutheni ukhona. (2 Korinte 4:4) Lelo liqhinga alihlohlozelako uSathana lo, ngombana liyamsebenzela ekudurhiseni abantu.

 ³ Thina-ke njengeenceku zakaJehova angekhe sadurhiswa lula njalo. Sazi kuhle ukuthi uDeveli ukhona. Sikwazi njani lokho? IBhayibheli lithi uSathana wakhuluma no-Eva ngenyoka. (Genesisi 3:1-5) Wabuye wakhuluma noJehova wathi uJobho ubhade ubukelemu. (Jobho 1:9-12) USathana wakhe walinga noJesu. (Matewu 4:1-10) Begodu ngemva kobana uJesu athome ukubusa ngo-1914, uSathana wakhamba “wayokusahlela” abazesiweko abasese sephasini. (IsAmbulo 12:17) Ipi le isaraga njengombana uDeveli azimisele ukuliqeda nya ikholo labazesiweko nezinye izimvu. Yeke, nasizayithumba ipi le, kufuze sirorobhe, sibindane noSathana, siqinise nokukholwa kwethu. Isihlokwesi sikhuluma ngeendlela ezintathu zokwenza njalo.

4. Khuyini okwenza uSathana abe sibonelo esipheleleko sokuzikhukhumeza?

⁴ USathana uzikhakhazisa ngendlela erarako. Isikhohlakali sengilozesi silwisana nelungelo lakaZimu lokubusa, begodu salinga nokukhohlisa nabantu bona balotjhe sona esikhundleni sakaJehova. Lokho kumenza abe sibonelo esipheleleko sokuzibetha isifuba nokuzikhukhumeza. Yeke, enye yeendlela esingalwisana ngayo noSathana kulisa ukuziqhenya, sithobeke. (Funda 1 Pitrosi 5:5.) Kodwana khuyini ukuzikhakhazisa? Kghani kukhona na ukuzikhakhazisa okungasikumbi?

5, 6. (a) Inga-kghani ukuziqhenya kuhlala kukumbi? Hlathulula. (b) Mhlobo bani wokuziqhenya oyingozi, begodu ngiziphi iimbonelo eziseBhayibhelini zalokhu?

⁵ Ngokwesinye isihlathululi-mezwi, ukuzikhakhazisa kumazizo wokuzithemba newokuzihlonipha. Godu “kumumuzwa wokwaneliseka oba nawo nengabe wena namkha abantu otjhidelene nabo nenzelene into ehle, namkha ninokuthileko okuhle.” Akunalitho-ke elimbi ngokuzizwa njalo. Umpostoli uPowula wathi kubazalwana beThesalonika: “Thina ngokwethu sizigabazisa ngani hlangana namabandla wakaZimu ngokubekezela kanye nokukholwa kwenu esikhathini soke sokuzunywa kanye nokuhlutjhwa kwenu.” (2 Thesalonika 1:4) Yeke, ukuziqhenya ngomsebenzi omuhle wabanye abantu, nokuziqhenya ngokuthileko okukithi, kungasizuzisa. Akutlhogeki sibe neenhloni ngemindeni yethu, amasiko, namkha ngokuthi sikhulelephi.—IzEnzo 21:39.

⁶ Kodwana kunelinye ihlobo lokuzikhakhazisa elingasiraranisa noJehova, lisonele nobuhlobo bethu naye. Umhlobo lo ngewokuthi siphatheke kumbi nasikhalinywako. Ungasenza nokuthi singhanghe ikani singasamukeli iseluleko, esikhundleni sokuzithoba. (IRhubo 141:5) Umhlobo lo wokuziqhenya ngewokuthi umuntu atshwenyeke khulu ngaye ngokwakhe namkha “azikhukhumeze aze acabange nokuthi ungcono kunabanye.” UJehova uyawunyenya umukghwa onjalo. (Hezekiyeli 33:28; Amosi 6:8) Kodwana uSathana ujabula afe nakabona abantu bamlingisa ngokuziqhenya bazibetha isifuba. Akhe ucabange nje ukuthi uSathana wathaba kangangani ngesikhathi uNimrodi, uFaro, no-Absalomu bazikhakhazisa ngokungakafaneli! (Genesisi 10:8, 9; Eksodusi 5:1, 2; 2 Samyela 15:4-6) Ukuziqhenya ngikho okwararanisa uKhayini noZimu. UJehova wamkhalima, kodwana uKhayini wakhukhumala, wangalalela. Bekanekani yesirhwerhwe, wasibethisa mthalazeni isiyeleliso sakaZimu, begodu akhenge abilayele ngokonela uJehova.—Genesisi 4:6-8.

7, 8. (a) Liyini ibandlululo, begodu lihlobana njani nokuziqhenya? (b) Hlathulula indlela ibandlululo elingonakalisa ngayo ukuthula kwebandla.

 ⁷ Namhlanjesi, abantu baziqhenya ngeendlela ezinengi eziyingozi. Phela ukuziqhenya kuyahlobana nebandlululo. Ngokwesinye isihlathululi-mezwi, ibandlululo kubaqalela phasi abantu besinye isitjhaba. “Kukholelwa nekutheni isitjhaba esithileko sinobuntu namakghono ahlukileko nokuthi kukhona isitjhaba esiphakeme ukudlula esinye.” Ibandlululo libange inturhu, lathulula iingazi, labulala nokubulala.

⁸ Izinto ezinjengalezo-ke akukafaneli zenzeke ebandleni lobuKrestu. Kodwana yinto ezakuthiwani ngoba kunande kuqubuka ukungezwani okubangelwa kukuziqhenya phakathi kwabazalwana, bese kuyabhebhedlha kungasalawuleki. Lokho yinto eyakhe yenzeka nemaKrestwini wekadeni, okwabangela uJakopo bona awabuze ukuthi: “Izipi nokuphambana kuvelaphi hlangana nani na?” (Jakopo 4:1) Nengabe kukhona esibahloyileko namkha sibone ngasuthi singcono kunabanye, izinto esizozikhuluma nesizozenza kibo nakanjani zizobalimaza. (IzAga 12:18) Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi ukuziqhenya okunjalo kungaphazamisa ukuthula ebandleni.

9. IBhayibheli lisisiza njani silwisane nebandlululo neminye imihlobo yokuziqhenya engakafaneli? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁹ Nengabe sizizwa singcono kunabanye, kufuze sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova uyamnyenya “woke onehliziyo ezikhukhumezako.” (IzAga 16:5) Okunye okufuze sikwenze kuhlola iinhliziyo zethu bese sizibuze ukuthi, ‘Kghani ngizizwa ngingcono na kunabantu besinye isitjhaba, namasiko ahlukileko kewami?’ ‘Nengabe kunjalo, kutjho ukuthi ngikhohliwe bona uZimu “ngomuntu oyedwa wadala zoke izizwe.”’ (IzEnzo 17:26) Yeke ngebangelo soke nje sisitjhaba sinye ngombana sivela ku-Adamu. Kusuke kubudlhadlha ukucabanga ukuthi uZimu wadala ezinye iintjhaba zaba ngcono kunezinye. Nasicabanga ngendlela le, sisuke sivumela uSathana onakalise ubunye bethu bobuKrestu. (Jwanisi 13:35) Nasifuna ukulwa noSathana simhlule, kufuze sikulahle ukuzikhakhazisa okungakafaneli.—IzAga 16:18.

10, 11. (a) Kubayini kubulula kangaka ukuthanda ilizwe? (b) Waba yini umphumela kaDemasi ngokuthanda ilizwe?

¹⁰ USathana ‘mphathi wephaseli’ begodu uyalilawula. (Jwanisi 12:31; 1 Jwanisi 5:19) Izinto ezinengi ezithuthukiswa lilizweli, azikhambisani neenkambiso zeBhayibheli. Iye, khona akutjho ukuthi yoke into ayikalungi ephasini. Kodwana esingaqiniseka ngakho kukuthi uSathana iphasi lakheli uzolisebenzisela ukusifaka esonweni. Namkha asenze silithande ngendlela yokuthi size sikweqisele amehlo ukukhulekela kwethu uJehova.—Funda 1 Jwanisi 2:15, 16.

¹¹ Namanye amaKrestu wakade bekalithanda ilizwe. Isibonelo salokho  ngesatlolwa nguPowula nakathi: “UDemasi ngokuthanda zephasi lanamhlanjesi ungitjhiyile.” (2 Thimothi 4:10) IBhayibheli alitjho ngokunqophileko ukuthi bekuliphasi elinjani ebelithandwa nguDemasi, elamenza waze wajikela noPowula. Kungenzeka uDemasi lo wathanda izinto zerhwebo kangangobana waze waphelelwa lithando ngekonzo ayenzela uJehova. Nengabe lokho bekuliqiniso, kutjho ukuthi uDemasi walahlekelwa mathuba amahle ebekamvulekele ekonzweni kaZimu. Kghani lokho bekuyinto efaneleko na? Bekungasi kuhle nakancani. Thana uDemasi wahlala amsizi kaPowula. Ilizwe belingekhe lamnikela okungaphezu kwalokho ebekazokuthola ngakuJehova!—IzAga 10:22.

12. USathana angasibophela phasi ngayiphi indlela ngokusebenzisa ‘amandla wobugwili’ akhohlisako?

¹² Into enjengaleyo ingenzeka nakithi namhlanjesi. Kungokwemvelo nakithi esimaKrestu ukuthi sifune ukuzondla thina nemindeni yethu. (1 Thimothi 5:8) Siyazi ukuthi uJehova ufuna sithabele ipilo, njengombana naye enzela u-Adamu no-Eva ipharadeyisi elihle. (Genesisi 2:9) Kodwana uSathana angasibophela phasi ‘ngokusiyenga ngobugwili.’ (Matewu 13:22) Abanengi bacabanga ukuthi imali nezinto zerhwebo kuzobathabisa namkha kubenze baphumelele. Nengabe nathi ngilokho esikucabangako, singalahlekelwa ngokukhona ngokungekho—ubuhlobo bethu obuligugu noJehova. UJesu wayelelisa wathi: “Akakho ongasebenzela abaphathi ababili. Uzakuzonda omunye athande omunye namkha azinikele ngokupheleleko komunye bese unyaza omunye. Anikwazi-ke ukulotjha uZimu khibe ngapha [“nithanda zeRhwebo,” NW].” (Matewu 6:24) Nangabe sesigijimisa izinto zerhwebo sihlale sazi ukuthi asisenandaba noJehova, okungilokho kanye okufunwa nguSathana. Singathomi-ke sivumele imali namkha izinto zerhwebo ziqakatheke ukudlula ubungani bethu noJehova. Nasifuna ukulwa noSathana simdule phasi, kufuze sikhambe kabuthaka nakuziwa ezintweni zerhwebo.—Funda 1 Thimothi 6:6-10.

13. Iphaseli lithini ngomtjhado nezomseme?

¹³ Esinye seenthiyo zakaSathana, kukuziphatha okusilapheleko kwezomseme. Abanengi bacabanga ukuthi nawusathembekile emuntwini otjhade naye, leso sikade begodu usuyazifanela nomuntu osejele. Nomtjhado awusahlonitjhwa amalanga la. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye umlingiswa omsikazi wezamahlelo kamabonakude uthi, “Angekhe kwenzeka ukuthi umuntu ahlale athembekile emuntwinakhe.” Unaba ngokuthi, “Mina nje angimazi okhe wathi uthembekile namkha ufuna ukuthembeka.” Umlingiswa omduna yena uthi, “Angiboni ukuthi nemvelo yethu iyakuvumela ukuthi umuntu ahlale nomuntu munye bekulamule ukufa.” Awazi bona uSathana weqayeqa kangangani-ke nakezwa abantu abadumileko njalo banyaza isipho sakaZimu somtjhado. Phela uSathana yomtjhado akakhambisani nayo nakancani, begodu  akafuni nokuwubona uphumelela. Yeke, nasifuna ukumbetha phasi nakilokhu kufuze sibe nombono kaZimu ngomtjhado.

14, 15. Khuyini ongakwenza nengabe ulingekela ekutheni wone ngokomseme?

¹⁴ Kungakhathaliseki bona sitjhadile namkha awa, kufuze silwisane ngamandla neenkanuko zokuziphatha kumbi ngokomseme. Kghani yinto ebulula le na? Akusi bulula nakancani! Isibonelo salokho, nawusemutjha kungenzeka uhlala uzwa iintanga zakho zikhuluma ngokuthi zingalala nananyana ngimuphi umuntu ezimkhanukelako. Zingakhuluma nangokuthumelana imilayezo neenthombe ezisilapheleko zomseme ngabofunjathwako. Kwezinye iindawo ukuthumelana imiyalezo yezomseme ngofunjathwako kuyafana nokuthumela umuntu iinthombe zabantwana benza zomseme ezisilapheleko. IBhayibheli lithi: “Loyo owona ngokwamabhayi wonakalisa umzimbakhe.” (1 Korinte 6:18) Inengi lamalwele athelelanako ngomseme asuhle abulala inengi labantu. Abantu abatjha abanengi abalele nabantu abangakatjhadi nabo bayazisola nokuthi bebasenzani. Nezokuzithabisa ezisephasineli zifuna sikholelwe ekutheni akunalitho elimbi ngokuphula imithetho kaZimu. Nengabe-ke, siyawakholelwa amala anjalo, singadurhiswa ‘sisono esikhohlisako.’—Hebheru 3:13.

¹⁵ Nengabe ulingekela ekutheni wone ngokwamabhayi, khuyini ongakwenza?  Kuvume ukuthi lobu buthakathaka bakho. (Roma 7:22, 23) Thandaza kuZimu umbawe amandla. (Filipi 4:6, 7, 13) Balekela nanyana ngibuphi ubujamo obungakwenza wone. (IzAga 22:3) Begodu nakungenzeka uhlangane nesilingo, sibalekele khonokho.—Genesisi 39:12.

16. Wathini uJesu lokha nekalingwa nguSathana, begodu singafundani esibonelweneso?

¹⁶ UJesu wasibekela isibonelo esinamandla. Khenge akhohliswe ziinthembiso zakaSathana. Khenge acabange nokucabanga ngazo. Esikhundleni salokho, wamtjela khonokho ukuthi: “Kutloliwe.” (Funda uMatewu 4:4-10.) UJesu bekalazi kuhle iliZwi lakaZimu, yeke bekubulula ngaye ukuthi adzubhule imitlolo poro uSathana nekamlingako. Nathi nasifuna ukulwa noSathana simhlule akukafaneli sizivumele silingekele ekoneni ngokuziphatha kumbi ngokomseme.—1 Korinte 6:9, 10.

17, 18. (a) Ngiziphi ezinye iinthiyo ezisetjenziswa nguSathana, begodu kubayini kufuze sizilindele? (b) Kuzokwenzekani ngoSathana, begodu lokho kukukhuthaza bona wenzeni?

¹⁷ Ukuziqhenya, irhwebo, nokuziphatha kumbi ngokomseme kumane kungezintathu zeenthiyo zakaSathana. Kunezinye godu ezinengi. Ngokwesibonelo, amanye amaKrestu anamalunga womndeni aphikisana nabo, amanye kuhlekiswe ngawo esikolweni. Amanye ahlala eenarheni lapho urhulumende angavumi khona bona kutjhunyayelwe. Sikulindele vele ukuqalana nobudisi obunjalo. NoJesu ngokwakhe wasiyelelisa wathi: “Boke bazanizonda ngebanga lebizo lami, kodwana loyo obambelela bekube sekupheleni, uzakusindiswa.”—Matewu 10:22.

¹⁸ Singalwa njani-ke noSathana, simhlule? UJesu wathi: “Ngokubambelela kwenu nizakuzuza ipilo.” (Lukasi 21:19) Akunalitho elenziwa mumuntu elingasilimaza unomphela. Akakho namunye ongasilahlisekisela ubuhlobo bethu noZimu, ngaphandle kwalapho nesimvumela enze njalo. (Roma 8:38, 39) Ngitjho nanyana sekuthiwa ezinye zeenceku zakaJehova ezithembekileko ziyafa, lokho akutjho bona uSathana uthumbile, ngombana uJehova uzozivusa. (Jwanisi 5:28, 29) USathana yena lizomtjhingela. Ngemva kokubhujiswa kwephasi lakheli elikhohlakeleko, yena uzokudlhunywa ngemgodini onganamkhawulo iminyaka eyi-1 000. (IsAmbulo 20:1-3) Kuzakuthi lokha iminyaka eyikulungwana yokubusa kwakaKrestu nasele iphelile, “uSathana akhutjhwe ngesikhungweni,” azame ukubalinga kwamaswaphela abantu abapheleleko. Ngemva kwalokho, uzokubhujiswa unomphela. (IsAmbulo 20:7-10) Njengombana uDeveli anganalo ikusasa nje, wena unalo! Yeke, ragela phambili ulwisana noSathana, uqine ekholweni. Ungamhlula!