1, 2. Ngoobani abavuyiswa zizihlandlo zokubhaptizwa kwabantu?

UKUBA sele uneminyaka ukhonza uYehova, mhlawumbi uye waphulaphula iintetho zobhaptizo eziliqela kwiindibano zethu. Ukanti, kungakhathaliseki ukuba kukangaphi usibakho kwesi sihlandlo, kusenokwenzeka ukuba usachukumiseka xa ubona abo bahleli kwizihlalo eziphambili eholweni bephakama baze bazinikele ukuba babhaptizwe. Xa besenjenjalo, kubakho imincili kubaphulaphuli, kuze kulandele intswahla yezandla. Amehlo akho aba neenyembezi zovuyo xa ubukele elinye iqela labantu abathandekayo abaye bakhetha ukuma ngakwicala likaYehova. Siba novuyo olungathethekiyo ngezo zihlandlo!

² Ngoxa thina siye sibukele izihlandlo zokubhaptizwa kwabantu ezimbalwa ngonyaka, iingelosi zona zinelungelo lokubona ezingakumbi. Unokuyithelekelela indlela ‘ekuvuywa ngayo ezulwini’ xa kubonwa amawaka abantu ehlabathini jikelele engena kwinxalenye yentlangano kaYehova ebonakalayo veki nganye. (Luka 15:7, 10) Ngokuqinisekileyo iingelosi zivuya kakhulu xa zibona olu lwando!—Hagayi 2:7.

3. Kutheni uSathana ehambahamba “njengengonyama egqumayo,” yaye ufuna ukwenza ntoni?

³ Noko ke, kukho izidalwa zomoya ezijwaqekayo ngumsindo xa zibukele abantu bebhaptizwa. USathana needemon baba nomsindo xa bebona amawaka abantu eshiya  eli hlabathi lonakeleyo. Kaloku uSathana wakha waqhayisa ngento yokuba akukho mntu uya kukhonza uYehova kuba emthanda ngenene nokuba akakho umntu oya kuhlala ethembekile xa evavanywa ngokuqatha. (Funda uYobhi 2:4, 5.) Sihlandlo ngasinye umntu esenza isigqibo sokuzahlulela kuYehova, uSathana ungqineka elixoki. Kuba ngathi uhlaziswa kaliwaka veki nganye. Yiloo nto ‘ehambahamba njengengonyama egqumayo, efuna ubani engamqwengayo’! (1 Petros 5:8) Le “ngonyama” izimisele ukusiqwenga ngokomoya, yonakalise okanye ide iluphelise ulwalamano lwethu noYehova.—INdumiso 7:1, 2; 2 Timoti 3:12.

4, 5. (a) UYehova uyisikele umda ngaziphi iindlela ezimbini ezibalulekileyo impembelelo kaSathana? (b) Yintoni anokuqiniseka ngayo umKristu wenene?

⁴ Nangona sijamelene notshaba olukhohlakeleyo, asikho isizathu sokuba sinkwantye. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba uYehova  uye wayisikel’ umda impembelelo yale “ngonyama egqumayo” ngeendlela ezimbini ezibalulekileyo. Ziziphi ezo ndlela? Okokuqala, uYehova waprofeta wathi “isihlwele esikhulu” samaKristu enene siya kusinda “embandezelweni enkulu” ezayo. (ISityhilelo 7:9, 14) Iziprofeto azikhe zingazaliseki. Ngoko ke, noSathana umele ukuba uyazi ukuba akayi kukwazi ukubafumana bonke abantu bakaThixo.

⁵ Eyesibini into asikelwe umda kuyo sinokuyibona kumazwi ayinyaniso awathethwa ngomnye wabakhonzi bakaThixo bamandulo ababethembekile. Umprofeti uAzariya wathi kuKumkani uAsa: “UYehova unani logama nje nani ninaye.” (2 Kronike 15:2; funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 10:13.) Iingxelo ezininzi zisinika imizekelo ebonisa ukuba kwixesha elidlulileyo, uSathana ebesoloko esikha phantsi isitya sigcwele kwimizamo yakhe yokuqwenga abakhonzi bakaThixo abahlala besondele kuye. (Hebhere 11:4-40) Nanamhlanje, amaKristu ahlala esondele kuThixo ayakwazi ukumchasa ade amoyise uMtyholi. Enyanisweni iLizwi likaThixo liyasiqinisekisa lisithi: “Mchaseni uMtyholi, wonibaleka.”—Yakobi 4:7.

6. USathana ulwa njani nomKristu ngamnye?

⁶ USathana akayi kuwuphumelela lo mlo, kodwa unokusingxwelerha ukuba asilumkanga. Uyazi ukuba unokusiqwenga xa enokulwenza buthathaka ulwalamano lwethu noYehova. Uzama njani ukwenza loo nto? Ngokuhlasela mntu ngamnye ngamandla yaye esebenzisa amaqhinga. Makhe sixubushe ngezona ndlela azisebenzisayo uSathana.

7. Kutheni uSathana eqinisa ukuhlasela abantu bakaYehova?

⁷ Uhlasela ngamandla. Umpostile uYohane wathi: “Ihlabathi liphela lisemandleni ongendawo.” (1 Yohane 5:19) Loo mazwi asisilumkiso kuwo onke amaKristu enene. Ekubeni uSathana sele ebaqwengile bonke abantu abangendawo, ngoku unokujolisa iintolo zakhe kwabo angekababambisi—abantu bakaYehova. (Mika 4:1; Yohane 15:19; ISityhilelo 12:12, 17)  Ulugcwabevu ngumsindo kuba uyazi ukuba ixesha lakhe lixhatshwe yinja. Ngoko uya eqinisa ukuhlasela. Namhlanje, sijamelana nemizamo yakhe yokugqibela yokusihlasela ngenkohlakalo neyokuphelisa ulwalamano lwethu noThixo. Ngenxa yoko, ngoku kufuneka sizimisele nangakumbi ‘ukuqonda amaxesha ukuze sazi oko simele sikwenze.’—1 Kronike 12:32.

8. Uthetha ukuthini umpostile uPawulos xa esithi “sizamazamana” noomoya abangendawo?

⁸ Uzamazamana nomntu ngamnye. Umpostile uPawulos walumkisa amanye amaKristu esithi: “Sizamazamana . . . nemikhosi yoomoya abangendawo kwezasezulwini iindawo.” (Efese 6:12) Kutheni uPawulos esebenzisa igama elithi “sizamazamana”? Kungokuba lithetha ukubambana ngezigalo nokusukuzana nibambene eziqwini. Ngenxa yoko, xa uPawulos wayesebenzisa eli gama, wayethetha ukuba ngamnye wethu ulwa elakhe idabi noomoya abangendawo. Enoba sikwilizwe elikholelwa kwimimoya engendawo okanye akunjalo, singaze silibale ukuba xa sasizahlulela kuYehova, kwakufana nokungathi singena kumlo wezigalo. Kungoko uPawulos wabona imfuneko yokuwabongoza kathathu amaKristu ase-Efese ukuba ‘eme eqinile’!—Efese 6:11, 13, 14.

9. (a) Kutheni uSathana needemon besebenzisa “amaqhinga” ahlukeneyo? (b) Kutheni uSathana ezama ukonakalisa indlela esicinga ngayo, yaye sinokuyixhathisa njani imizamo yakhe? (Bona ibhokisi ethi “ Walumkele Amaqhinga KaSathana!”) (c) Liliphi iqhinga esiza kulixubusha ngoku?

⁹ Usebenzisa amaqhinga. UPawulos ubongoza amaKristu ukuba eme eqinile nxamnye “namaqhinga” kaSathana. (Efese 6:11) Phawula ukuba uPawulos usebenzisa isininzi seli gama. Oomoya abangendawo basebenzisa iindlela ngeendlela ukuze baqhathe abantu—ibe banesizathu sokwenjenjalo. Amanye amaKristu awayekhe ema eqinile xa ayevavanywa ngohlobo oluthile lwesilingo, aye athi ngokuhamba kwexesha anikezela kolunye uhlobo lwesilingo. Ngenxa yoko, uMtyholi needemon baqolozele indlela ngamnye wethu aziphethe ngayo ukuze babone ubuthathaka bethu. Emva koko baye basebenzise nabuphi na ubuthathaka bokomoya esinabo. Noko ke,  okuvuyisayo kukuba siyalwazi uninzi lweendlela zikaMtyholi, kuba zichaziwe eBhayibhileni. (2 Korinte 2:11) Kwizahluko ezingaphambili, siye saxubusha amaqhinga anjengomgibe wokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo, abahlobo abayingozi, nokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini. Ngoku makhe singene kwelinye iqhinga elisetyenziswa nguSathana—ukusebenzelana nemimoya.

10. (a) Kuyintoni ukusebenzelana nemimoya? (b) UYehova ukujonga njani ukusebenzelana nemimoya, ibe wena ukujonga njani?

¹⁰ Xa umntu esebenzelana nemimoya okanye needemon, unxibelelana ngokungqalileyo noomoya abangendawo. Ukuvumisa, ukukhafula, ukubopha ngoomabophe, nokubuzisa kwabafileyo zezinye zeendlela zokusebenzelana nemimoya. Njengoko sisazi, uYehova ujonga ukusebenzelana nemimoya ‘njengento ecekisekayo.’ (Duteronomi 18:10-12; ISityhilelo 21:8) Ekubeni nathi simele ‘sikwenyanye okungendawo,’ asiyicingi nokuyicinga into yokusebenzelana noomoya abangendawo. (Roma 12:9) Ibiya kuba kukumngcatsha ngokwenene uBawo wethu osezulwini, uYehova!

11. Kutheni uSathana ebeya kuba uphumelele ngokwenene ukuba ebenokusenza sisebenzelane nemimoya? Zekelisa.

¹¹ Kodwa ke, ngenxa yokuba ukusebenzelana nemimoya isisenzo esilizothe sokumngcatsha uYehova, uSathana uzimisele ukwenza abanye bethu bangene kulo mgibe. Ngalo lonke ixesha uSathana esenza umKristu abhenele kwiidemon, uziva ephumelele. Ngoba? Khawucinge ngalo mzekeliso: Ukuba ijoni belinokuhendelwa ekubeni lishiye lize lingcatshe umkhosi walo liye kumkhosi wotshaba, ebeya kuvuya okosana umphathi-mkhosi wotshaba. Unokude abonise ngalo ebantwini eli joni lingumngcatshi, ukuze acaphukise owayesakuba ngumphathi-mkhosi walo. Ngendlel’ efanayo, xa umKristu esebenzelana nemimoya, ebeya kuba umlahla ngabom uYehova kwaye uzifaka phantsi kwekhwapha likaSathana. Khawuthelekelele indlela amel’ ukuba uncuma yedwa ngayo uSathana  xa ebonisa abantu loo mngcatshi amfumene edabini! Ngaba ukho kuthi obengathanda ukuthwesa uMtyholi loo ntshinga? Unotshe! Asingobangcatshi kaloku thina.

12. Yintoni uSathana ayisebenzisa ukuze asenze sisebenzelane nemimoya?

¹² Ukuba siyakucekisa ukusebenzelana nemimoya, soze uSathana aphumelele ekuyisebenziseni kuthi. Ngenxa yoko, uyaqonda ukuba umele axoze mphini wumbi. Njani? Uzama iindlela zokuphixanisa amaKristu ukuze amanye awo acinge ukuba “okulungileyo kubi nokubi kulungile.” (Isaya 5:20) Ukuze enjenjalo, uSathana udla ngokubhenela kwelona qhinga lakhe lidla ngokuphumelela—uphakamisa imibuzo ukuze adale amathandabuzo.

13. USathana ulisebenzise njani icebo lokuphakamisa imibuzo ngenjongo yokudala amathandabuzo?

¹³ Phawula indlela uSathana awalisebenzisa ngayo eli cebo kwixesha elidluleyo. E-Eden wabuza uEva lo mbuzo: “Utshilo ngokwenene na uThixo ukuba nize ningadli kuyo yonke imithi yomyezo?” Ngemihla kaYobhi, xa wayekwintlanganiso yeengelosi ezulwini, uSathana waphakamisa lo mbuzo: “UYobhi umoyikela ilize na uThixo?” Yaye xa uYesu wayeqalisa ubulungiseleli bakhe basemhlabeni, uSathana wamcel’ umngeni esithi: “Ukuba ungunyana kaThixo, yithi kula matye mawabe zizonka.” Khawufan’ ucinge nje—kwimeko kaYesu, uSathana waba nesibindi sokugculela amazwi awayethethwe nguYehova ngokwakhe kwiiveki ezintandathu ngaphambili, esithi: “Lo nguNyana wam, oyintanda, endikholisiweyo nguye”!—Genesis 3:1; Yobhi 1:9; Mateyu 3:17; 4:3.

14. (a) USathana ulisebenzisa njani icebo lokudala amathandabuzo ngokuphathelele ukusebenzelana nemimoya? (b) Yintoni esiza kuyixubusha ngoku?

¹⁴ Nanamhlanje, uMtyholi usebenzisa icebo elifanayo ukuze asenze singaqiniseki enoba kusisono kusini na ukusebenzelana nemimoya. Okulusizi kukuba uye waphumelela ekwenzeni  amanye amakholwa abe namathandabuzo. Aye aqalisa ukuthandabuza enoba iintlobo ezithile zokusebenzelana nemimoya zingendawo ngokwenene kusini na. Ngenxa yoko, kufana nokuba athi, ‘Ngaba kunjalo ngokwenene?’ (2 Korinte 11:3) Sinokuwanceda njani amakholwa anjalo alungise indlela acinga ngayo? Sinokuqiniseka njani ukuba eli cebo likaSathana alisebenzi kuthi? Ukuze siphendule le mibuzo, masiqwalasele iinkalo ezimbini zobomi bethu eziye zagxojwa nguSathana ngokufaka kuzo imimoya. Ukuzonwabisa nonyango.

15. (a) Abantu abaninzi abakumazwe aseNtshona bakujonga njani ukusebenzelana nemimoya? (b) Amanye amaKristu aye atyhefwa njani yindlela ihlabathi elikujonga ngayo ukusebenzelana nemimoya?

¹⁵ Ukukholelwa kwimimoya engendawo, kubugqwirha, nakwezinye iintlobo zokusebenzelana nemimoya kuya kugqalwa njengento engenamsebenzi, ingakumbi kumazwe aseNtshona. Iimovie, iincwadi, iinkqubo zikamabonwakude, nemidlalo yekhompyutha yenza ukusebenzelana needemon kubonakale kuyinto eyonwabisayo, ebonisa ukuba umntu uvulekile engqondweni, nengeyongozi. Ezinye iimovie neencwadi ezibalaselisa ukusebenzelana nemimoya zithandwa kakhulu kangangokuba abantu bazo bade bayila iiklabhu zabalandeli. Kucacile ukuba iidemon ziye zaphumelela ekwenzeni abantu bacinge ukuba akuyongozi ukusebenzelana nemimoya. Ngaba lo mkhwa wokuthatha ukusebenzelana nemimoya njengento engenamsebenzi uye wangena nakumaKristu? Indlela amanye acinga ngayo sele ityhefekile. Ngayiphi indlela? Ngokomzekelo, emva kokuba omnye umKristu wayebukele imovie eyayibalaselisa ukusebenzelana nemimoya, wathi, “Ndiyibukele yona imovie, kodwa ke andikhange ndisebenzelane nemimoya.” Kutheni kuyingozi ukucinga njalo?

16. Kutheni kuyingozi ukuzonwabisa ngezinto ezisekelwe ekusebenzelaneni nemimoya?

¹⁶ Nangona kukho umahluko phakathi kokusebenzelana  nemimoya nokuyibukela, oko akuthethi kuthi ukubukela abantu abasebenzelana nemimoya akuyongozi. Kutheni kunjalo nje? Khawucinge ngale nto: ILizwi likaThixo lithi uSathana needemon zakhe abakwazi kuzibona izinto esizicingayo. * Ngoko, njengoko kubonisiwe ngaphambili, ukuze oomoya abangendawo bayazi into esiyicingayo baze babone nabuphi na ubuthathaka bokomoya esinabo, kufuneka baqwalasele izinto esizenzayo—kuquka nezinto esizonwabisa ngazo. Xa umKristu ebonisa ukuba uyazithanda iimovie okanye iincwadi ezisekelwe kwimimoya engendawo, kumlingo, kubantu abaneedemon, okanye kwizinto ezinobudemon, ubonisa iidemon ukuba akazichasanga ncam. Ngenxa yoko uzibonisa ubuthathaka bakhe! Zinokwandula ke iidemon ziqinise kwimizamo yazo yokusebenzisa obo buthathaka azibonise bona ukuze zimngqule phantsi loo mKristu. Abanye ababeqale ngokuba nomdla nje ekuzonwabiseni ngezinto ezinobudemon baye bagqibela sele besebenzelana nemimoya.—Funda amaGalati 6:7.

17. USathana unokubahlasela ngaliphi iqhinga abo bagulayo?

¹⁷ USathana akasebenzisi izinto zokuzonwabisa esizithandayo kuphela, ukwasebenzisa nonyango. Njani? Xa impilo yomKristu isiba mandundu nangona esenza imizamo yokufumana unyango, uye aphelelwe lithemba. (Marko 5:25, 26) Loo nto inokuvulela noSathana needemon ithuba lokumhlasela. Bazi kakuhle ukuba iLizwi likaThixo lithi asifanele sifune “uncedo lwabasebenza ubutshinga.” (Isaya 31:2, IBhayibhile YesiXhosa.) Ukuze iidemon zenze umKristu angasiphulaphuli esi silumkiso, zinokumlingela ekubeni abhenele kwiindlela zokunyanga ezisebenzisa “amandla angaqhelekanga” okanye ukusebenzelana nemimoya—nto leyo embi gqitha. Ukuba elo qhinga leedemon liyaphumelela, linokulwenza  buthathaka ulwalamano lwalowo ugulayo noThixo. Njani?

18. Ziziphi iindlela zokunyanga umKristu angayi kuzisebenzisa, yaye ngoba?

¹⁸ UYehova walumkisa amaSirayeli awayebhenele ‘kumandla angaqhelekanga,’ esithi: “Naxa nisolula izandla zenu, ndiyawafihla amehlo am kuni. Nakubeni nisenza imithandazo emininzi, andiphulaphulanga.” (Isaya 1:13, 15) Kaloku sifuna ukuhlala siyiphepha nantoni na enokuthintela imithandazo yethu ize isenze singaxhaswa nguYehova—ingakumbi xa silele ngandletyana nye. (INdumiso 41:3) Ngenxa yoko, xa kukho iimpawu ezibonisa ukuba indlela ekuxilongwa ngayo okanye ekunyangwa ngayo inendawana yokusebenzelana nemimoya, umKristu wenene ufanele ayiyeke. * (Mateyu 6:13) Xa esenjenjalo, unokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uyamxhasa.—Bona ibhokisi ethi “ Ngaba Kukusebenzelana Nemimoya Ngokwenene?”

19. (a) Yintoni uMtyholi aye waqhatha abantu abaninzi ukuba bayikholelwe ngamandla akhe? (b) Ngawaphi amabali afanele awaphephe amaKristu enene?

¹⁹ Ngoxa abantu abaninzi abakumazwe aseNtshona begqala amandla kaSathana njengangeyongozi, kwamanye amazwe  ajongwa njengayingozi. Kuloo mazwe, uMtyholi uye waqhatha abantu abaninzi ukuze bacinge ukuba unamandla ngakumbi kunokuba ngokwenene kunjalo. Abanye abantu bahlala besoyika imimoya emdaka. Maninzi amabali abaliswayo achaza indlela iidemon ezinamandla ngayo. Abantu abawabalisayo badla ngokuba nehlombe; ibe abangel’ umdla kwabo bawaphulaphuleyo. Ngaba nathi sifanele sibe negalelo ekuwasasazeni? Hayi, abakhonzi boThixo wenene abakwenzi oku ngenxa yezizathu ezibini ezibalulekileyo.

20. Inokwenzeka njani into yokuba umntu athi, engazi, asasaze ubuxoki bukaSathana?

²⁰ Esokuqala, xa umntu esasaza amabali achaza izinto ezenziwe ziidemon, usebenzela uSathana. Njani? ILizwi likaThixo lithi uSathana uyakwazi ukwenza imisebenzi yamandla, kodwa likwasilumkisa lisithi usebenzisa ‘imiqondiso yobuxoki  nenkohliso.’ (2 Tesalonika 2:9, 10) Ekubeni uSathana eliqothaqikili, uyayazi indlela yokuphembelela iingqondo zabantu abangakuchasanga ncam ukusebenzelana nemimoya nendlela yokubenza bakholelwe izinto ezingeyonyaniso. Abantu abanjalo banokuyikholelwa nyhani into yokuba babone baza beva izinto yaye banokude bazibalise besithi ziyinyaniso. Ethubeni, amabali abo anokude abaxwe ngenxa yokuba ephindaphindwa. Ukuba umKristu ebenokusasaza loo mabali, ebeya kuba wenza ukuthanda kukaMtyholi—‘uyise wabo ubuxoki.’ Ebeya kuba usasaza ubuxoki bukaSathana.—Yohane 8:44; 2 Timoti 2:16.

21. Yintoni esifanele sincokole ngayo?

²¹ Esesibini, kwanokuba umKristu wakha wadibana nayo ngokwenene imimoya emdaka ngaphambili, akafanele asoloko ebalisela amanye amakholwa loo mabali. Ngoba? Sibongozwa ngala mazwi: ‘Masikhangele ngenyameko kuMmeli Oyintloko noMgqibelelisi wokholo lwethu, uYesu.’ (Hebhere 12:2) Ewe, sifanele sicinge ngoKristu, hayi uSathana. Xa uYesu wayelapha emhlabeni, akazange abe ebalisela abafundi bakhe amabali angemimoya engendawo, nangona wayenokuchaza izinto ezininzi ngoko uSathana akwaziyo ukukwenza nangakwaziyo ukukwenza. Kunoko, uYesu wayesoloko ethetha ngoBukumkani. Ngoko, nathi sifanele sixelise uYesu nabapostile, sincokole ‘ngezinto zobungangamela zikaThixo.’—IZenzo 2:11; Luka 8:1; Roma 1:11, 12.

22. Yintoni esinokuyenza eya kubangela ukuba kuhlale kukho ‘uvuyo ezulwini’?

²² Kuyinyaniso ukuba uSathana usebenzisa amaqhinga ahlukeneyo, kuquka ukusebenzelana nemimoya, ukuze aphelise ulwalamano lwethu noYehova. Kodwa ke, ukuba siyakucekisa okungendawo kwaye sinamathela kokulungileyo, uMtyholi asiyi kumvulela ithuba lokusenza buthathaka isigqibo sethu sokuchasa zonke iintlobo zokusebenzelana nemimoya. (Funda amaEfese 4:27.) Khawuthelekelele indlela ekuya ‘kuvuywa ngayo ezulwini’ ukuba siqhubeka ‘simi siqinile nxamnye namaqhinga kaMtyholi’ de angabikho!—Efese 6:11.