1. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasendulo zaziwathola kanjani amandla?

 IZWI LIKANKULUNKULU livame ukuchaza abantu abathembekile ngokuthi banamandla. Kodwa ngisho nababenamandla kunabo bonke kubo babengazizwa benamandla ngaso sonke isikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngezinye izikhathi iNkosi uDavide yayizizwa ‘iqine njengentaba,’ kodwa ngezinye izikhathi ‘yayesaba.’ (IHu. 30:7) Nakuba uSamsoni ayenamandla angaphezu kwavamile lapho enomoya kaNkulunkulu, waqaphela ukuthi ngaphandle kwamandla avela kuNkulunkulu wayeyoba ‘buthaka afane nabo bonke abantu.’ (AbaHl. 14:​5, 6; 16:17) La madoda athembekile ayenamandla kuphela ngenxa yokuthi uJehova wayewanike amandla.

2. Kungani uPawulu athi ubuthaka kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo unamandla? (2 Korinte 12:​9, 10)

² Umphostoli uPawulu naye wavuma ukuthi wayewadinga amandla avela kuJehova. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 12:​9, 10.) Njengabaningi kithi, uPawulu wayenezinkinga zempilo. (Gal. 4:​13, 14) Ngezinye izikhathi wayekuthola kunzima nokwenza okulungile. (Roma 7:​18, 19) Wayebuye akhathazeke futhi engaqiniseki ngokuthi kuzokwenzekani kuye. (2 Kor. 1:​8, 9) Nokho, lapho ebuthaka wayeba namandla. Wayewathola kanjani? UJehova wayenika uPawulu amandla ayewadinga. Wayemqinisa.

3. Sizophendula miphi imibuzo kulesi sihloko?

³ Nathi uJehova uthembisa ukuthi uzosenza siqine. (1 Pet.  5:10) Kodwa asinakulindela ukuthola lawo mandla singenzanga lutho. Ngokwesibonelo, injini inganikeza imoto amandla okuya phambili. Nokho, umshayeli kufanele anyathele i-accelerator ukuze ayiphe amandla ihambe. Ngendlela efanayo, uJehova ukulungele ukusinika amandla esiwadingayo, kodwa kumele sithathe izinyathelo ezithile ukuze siwathole. Yini uJehova asinikeze yona ukuze asiphe amandla? Yini okudingeka siyenze ukuze sithole lawo mandla? Sizothola izimpendulo zale mibuzo ngokuxoxa ngendlela uJehova aqinisa ngayo laba bantu abathathu abaseBhayibhelini—umprofethi uJona, uMariya unina kaJesu nomphostoli uPawulu. Sizobona nendlela uJehova aqhubeka eziqinisa ngayo ngendlela efanayo izinceku zakhe namuhla.

4. Singawathola kanjani amandla kuJehova?

⁴ Enye indlela esingathola ngayo amandla kuJehova ukuthandaza. Angaphendula imithandazo yethu ngokusinika “amandla angaphezu kwavamile.” (2 Kor. 4:7) Singawathola nangokufunda iZwi lakhe nokuzindla ngalo. (IHu. 86:11) Umyalezo kaJehova oseBhayibhelini ‘unamandla.’ (Heb. 4:12) Lapho uthandaza kuye ufunda neZwi lakhe uyothola amandla ukuze ukwazi ukukhuthazela, uhlale ujabule, noma ukwazi ukwenza isabelo esinzima. Phawula indlela uJehova aqinisa ngayo umprofethi uJona.

5. Kungani umprofethi uJona ayedinga amandla?

⁵ Umprofethi uJona wayedinga amandla. Wayebalekele isabelo esinzima uJehova ayemnike sona. Ngenxa yalokho, wacishe wafa ngesikhathi kunesiphepho esinamandla wafaka nokuphila kwabantu ayenabo emkhunjini engozini. Ngesikhathi bemphonsa emanzini, wazithola esendaweni esabekayo ayengakaze abe kuyo ngaphambili—esiswini senhlanzi enkulu. Ucabanga ukuthi uJona wayezizwa kanjani? Ingabe wayecabanga ukuthi uzofela lapho? Kungenzeka wayezibuza ukuthi uJehova umlahlile yini? Kumele ukuba wayekhathazeke kakhulu uJona.

6. UJona 2:​1, 2, 7 uthi yini eyanika uJona amandla ngesikhathi esesiswini senhlanzi?

⁶ Yini uJona ayenza ukuze athole amandla ngesikhathi eyedwa kuleyo ndawo? Wathandaza. (Funda uJona 2:​1, 2, 7.) Nakuba engamlalelanga uJehova, wayeqiniseka ngokuthi uzowulalela umthandazo wakhe obonisa ukuthi uyazithoba futhi uyaphenduka. Wazindla nangemiBhalo. Kungani sisho kanjalo? Umthandazo wakhe obhalwe kuJona isahluko 2, unamagama nezinkulumo ezifana nezitholakala kumaHubo. (Ngokwesibonelo, qhathanisa uJona 2:​2, 5 neHubo 69:1; 86:7.) Kusobala ukuthi uJona wayeyazi kahle leyo mibhalo. Ngokucabanga ngayo ngesikhathi esenkingeni, waqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzomsiza. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJona wakhishelwa emhlabathini owomile, esekulungele ukwamukela nokufeza isabelo esilandelayo.—Jona 2:10–3:4.

7-8. Omunye umzalwane eTaiwan uwathole kanjani amandla lapho ebhekene novivinyo?

⁷ Isibonelo sikaJona singasisiza lapho sibhekene novivinyo oluhlukahlukene. Ngokwesibonelo, uZhiming, b umzalwane waseTaiwan, unezinkinga ezinkulu zempilo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umndeni wakubo umphikisa ngendlela enesihluku ngenxa yokholo lwakhe kuJehova. Amandla uwathola kuJehova ngokuthandaza nokutadisha. Uyavuma, “Ngezinye izikhathi lapho kuphakama  izinkinga, ngikhathazeka kakhulu ngize ngingakwazi nokwenza isifundo somuntu siqu.” Kodwa akapheli amandla. Uthi: “Okokuqala, ngithandaza kuJehova. Ngemva kwalokho ngifaka ama-earphone ngilalele izingoma zoMbuso. Ngezinye izikhathi, ngiziculela phansi kuze kwehle ukukhathazeka. Ngemva kwalokho ngiyatadisha.”

⁸ Isifundo somuntu siqu simqinise ngezindlela abengazilindele uZhiming. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi elulama ngemva kokuhlinzwa okukhulu, umhlengikazi wamtshela ukuthi ngenxa yokushoda kwamangqamuzana abomvu egazi, kuzodingeka afakelwe igazi. Ngobusuku bangaphambi kokuba ahlinzwe, uZhiming wafunda ngodade owayenenkinga efanayo yempilo. Amangqamuzana akhe abomvu egazi ayehle aba ngaphansi kwawaZhiming; kodwa akazange avume ukufakwa igazi, noma kunjalo walulama. Lokho kwamqinisa uZhiming ukuba aqhubeke ethembekile.

9. Uma uvivinyo lukuqeda amandla, yini ongayenza? (Bheka nezithombe.)

⁹ Lapho ubhekene novivinyo, kuke kwenzeke yini uzizwe ukhathazeke kakhulu uze ungakwazi nokuveza indlela ozizwa ngayo lapho uthandaza? Noma, ingabe uzizwa ungenawo amandla okutadisha? Khumbula ukuthi uJehova usiqonda ngokugcwele isimo sakho. Ngakho, ngisho noma wenza umthandazo olula, ungaqiniseka ngokuthi uzokunika okudingayo. (Efe. 3:20) Uma izinhlungu ozizwa emzimbeni noma ezingokomzwelo zenza kube nzima ukuba ufunde noma utadishe, ungase ulalele iBhayibheli elirekhodiwe noma izincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Kungase kukusize nokulalela enye yezingoma zethu noma ubukele ividiyo ku-jw.org/zu. UJehova uzokuqinisa uma uthandaza kuye futhi ubheka izimpendulo zemithandazo yakho eBhayibhelini nakwezinye izinto asinikeza zona.

10. Basiqinisa kanjani abafowethu nodadewethu?

¹⁰ UJehova angasiqinisa esebenzisa abafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu. Bangaba “umthombo wenduduzo enkulu” lapho  sivivinywa noma sishikiliswa isabelo esinzima. (Kol. 4:​10, 11) Sibadinga ngokukhethekile abangani ‘ngezikhathi zosizi.’ (IzAga 17:17) Lapho sizizwa siphelelwa amandla, abafowethu nodadewethu bangasisiza ngokoqobo, ngokomzwelo, basikhuthaze nokuba siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova. Cabanga indlela uMariya, unina kaJesu, athola ngayo amandla kwabanye.

11. Kungani uMariya ayedinga amandla?

¹¹ UMariya wayedinga amandla. Cabanga indlela okumele ukuba wayekhungatheke ngayo ngemva kokuthola isabelo esinzima engelosini uGabriyeli. Wayezokhulelwa nakuba engashadile. Wayengakaze akhulise izingane, kodwa kwakuzodingeka akhulise ingane yomfana eyayizoba uMesiya. Njengoba ayengakaze aye ocansini, uMariya wayezomchazela kanjani konke lokhu uJosefa ayethembisene naye umshado?—Luka 1:​26-33.

12. NgokukaLuka 1:​39-45, uMariya wawathola kanjani amandla ayewadinga?

¹² UMariya wawathola kanjani amandla ayewadinga ukuze afeze lesi sabelo esingavamile nesinzima? Wacela usizo kwabanye. Ngokwesibonelo, wacela uGabriyeli ukuba amtshele okwengeziwe ngalesi sabelo. (Luka 1:34) Ngemva nje kwalokho, waya “ezweni elinezintaba” lakwaJuda eyovakashela isihlobo sakhe u-Elizabethe. Lwamsiza lolo hambo. U-Elizabethe wamncoma uMariya futhi uJehova wamnika umoya ongcwele owamenza washo isiprofetho esikhuthazayo esiphathelene nendodana kaMariya eyayingakazalwa. (Funda uLuka 1:​39-45.) UMariya wathi uJehova ‘wayenze izenzo zamandla ngengalo yakhe.’ (Luka 1:​46-51) UJehova wasebenzisa uGabriyeli no-Elizabethe ukuze baqinise uMariya.

13. Kwamsiza kanjani udade waseBolivia ukucela usizo kubafowabo nakodadewabo?

¹³ NjengoMariya, nawe ungathola amandla kubafowenu nakodadewenu. UDasuri, udade waseBolivia, wayewadinga amandla anjalo. Lapho ubaba kaDasuri ethola ukuthi unesifo esibulalayo futhi engeniswa esibhedlela, uDasuri wanquma ukumnakekela. (1 Thim. 5:4) Kwakungelula ngaso sonke isikhathi. Uyavuma, “Izikhathi eziningi ngangizizwa ngiphelelwa amandla.” Walucela yini usizo? Ekuqaleni akazange alucele. Uthi, “Ngangingafuni ukuhlupha abazalwane. Ngangizitshela ukuthi ‘nguJehova ozonginika usizo engiludingayo.’ Kodwa ngabe sengiqaphela ukuthi uma ngizihlukanisa nabanye, ngangizama ukuzixazulula ngedwa izinkinga zami.” (IzAga 18:1) UDasuri wanquma ukubhalela abangani bakhe abambalwa abachazele ngesimo sakhe. Uthi, “Angikwazi nokuyichaza indlela amaKristu athandekayo angiqinisa ngayo. Ayeletha ukudla esibhedlela, angiduduze nangamavesi eBhayibheli. Kujabulisa ngempela ukwazi ukuthi asisodwa. Sinomndeni omkhulu kaJehova—umndeni ozimisele ukukusiza, ukukhala nawe nokukukhuthaza.”

14. Kungani kufanele silwamukele usizo lwabadala?

¹⁴ Enye indlela uJehova ayisebenzisayo ukuze asiphe amandla abadala. Bayizipho azisebenzisayo ukuze asiqinise futhi asenze siqabuleke. (Isaya 32:​1, 2) Ngakho, uma ukhathazekile, batshele abadala izinto ezikukhathazayo. Lapho becela ukukusiza, lwamukele usizo lwabo. UJehova angakuqinisa esebenzisa bona.

15. Yiliphi ithemba wonke amaKristu analo?

¹⁵ Ithemba lethu elisekelwe eBhayibhelini lingasinika amandla. (Roma 4:​3, 18- 20) NjengamaKristu, sinethemba eliyigugu lokuphila phakade—ukuphila phakade emhlabeni osuwenziwe ipharadesi noma eMbusweni wasezulwini. Ithemba lethu liyasiqinisa ukuze sikhuthazelele uvivinyo, sishumayele izindaba ezinhle, senze nezabelo ezihlukahlukene ebandleni. (1 Thes. 1:3) Lelo themba elifanayo lamqinisa nomphostoli uPawulu.

16. Kungani umphostoli uPawulu ayedinga amandla?

¹⁶ UPawulu wayedinga amandla. Encwadini ayibhalela abaseKorinte, wazifanisa nesitsha sobumba esifa kalula. ‘Wayecindezelwe kakhulu, edidekile, eshushiswa, ephonswe phansi.’ Ngisho nokuphila kwakhe kwakusengozini. (2 Kor. 4:​8-10) UPawulu wabhala lawo mazwi ohambweni lwakhe lwesithathu eyisithunywa sevangeli. Kungenzeka ukuthi wayengazi ngaleso sikhathi ukuthi izinkinga zakhe zazingakapheli. Wayesazohlaselwa yizixuku, aboshwe, aphukelwe nawumkhumbi.

17. Ngokuvumelana neyesi-2 Korinte 4:​16-18, yini eyaqinisa uPawulu ukuze akhuthazelele uvivinyo?

¹⁷ UPawulu wathola amandla okukhuthazela ngokugxila ethembeni ayenalo. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 4:​16-18.) Watshela abaseKorinte ukuthi ngisho noma umzimba wakhe ‘wawuwohloka,’ wayengeke akuvumele lokho kumdikibalise. Wagxila ethembeni ayenalo. Ithemba lakhe lokuphila ezulwini ‘lalilikhulu ngokwedlulele,’ lingaphezu kwanoma yiluphi usizi ayebhekane nalo. Wazindla ngalelo themba, ngenxa yalokho wazizwa sengathi “wenziwa musha usuku nosuku.”

18. Ukuba nethemba kumqinise kanjani uTihomir nomndeni wakhe?

¹⁸ UTihomir, umzalwane waseBulgaria, uthola amandla ethembeni analo. Eminyakeni embalwa edlule, umfowabo omncane uZdravko, washona engozini yemoto. Kwaphela isikhathi esithile uTihomir ezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu. Ukuze bakhuthazele, yena nomndeni wakhe, babona ngeso lengqondo ukuthi luyoba njani uvuko. Uyachaza: “Ngokwesibonelo, siye sixoxe ngokuthi siyohlangana kuphi noZdravko, siyomphekelani, obani abayomenywa ephathini yokuqala  ngemva kokuba evusiwe, nokuthi yini esiyomxoxela yona ngokwenzeka ezinsukwini zokugcina.” UTihomir uthi ukugxila ethembeni abanalo kuqinisa umndeni wakhe uqhubeke ukhuthazela futhi uhlale ulinde isikhathi uJehova ayovusa ngaso umfowabo.

19. Yini ongayenza ukuze uqinise elakho ithemba? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹⁹ Ungaliqinisa kanjani elakho ithemba? Ngokwesibonelo, uma unethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni, funda ngokuthi iBhayibheli lilichaza kanjani iPharadesi bese uzindla ngalo. (Isaya 25:8; 32:​16-18) Cabanga ngokuthi kuyoba njani ukuphila ezweni elisha. Awuzibone ngeso lengqondo ulapho. Ubona bani? Yimiphi imisindo oyizwayo? Uzizwa kanjani? Ukuze ukwazi ukubona iPharadesi ngeso lengqondo, buka izithombe ezisezincwadini zethu noma ubukele ividiyo yomculo enjengethi Sisezwen’ Elisha, Ususemnyango, noma ethi Zicabange. Uma siligcina liphila ithemba lokuphila ezweni elisha ezingqondweni zethu, izinkinga zethu ziyoba ‘ezomzuzwana futhi zibe lula.’ (2 Kor. 4:17) UJehova uzokwenza uqine ngethemba akunikeze lona.

20. Singawathola kanjani amandla ngisho nalapho sizizwa singenamandla?

²⁰ Ngisho noma sizizwa singenamandla, “uNkulunkulu uzosinika amandla.” (IHu. 108:13) Usekunikile kakade izinto ozidingayo ukuze uthole amandla kuye. Ngakho, lapho udinga usizo lokufeza isabelo esithile, lokukhuthazelela uvivinyo, noma lokuqhubeka ujabule, thandaza kuJehova ngokusuka enhliziyweni futhi ufune isiqondiso sakhe ngesifundo somuntu siqu. Samukele isikhuthazo esivela kubafowenu nakodadewenu abangamaKristu. Gcina ithemba lakho liphila futhi likhanya bha. Uma wenza kanjalo, ‘uyoqiniswa ngawo wonke amandla ngokwamandla [kaNkulunkulu] akhazimulayo ukuze ukhuthazele ngokugcwele ngokubekezela nangenjabulo.’—Kol. 1:11.