1, 2. (a) Abantu abaninzi banaziphi iingxaki yaye zinokubangela ntoni? (b) UIsaya 41:10, 13 usinika liphi ithemba eliqinisekileyo?

OMNYE udade onguvulindlela othe ngxi notshate nomdala uthi: “Nakuba ndinocwangciso lokomeleza ukholo lwam, yiminyaka ngoku ndizama ukuyeka ukuba nexhala. Andisalali, impilo yam inkenenkene, andibaphathi kakuhle abantu yaye ngamanye amaxesha ndiye ndifune ukunikezela nokuzifihla.”

² Ngaba uyayiqonda indlela awayeziva ngayo lo dade? Okubuhlungu kukuba, eli hlabathi likaSathana lingendawo liyasicinezela kuze oko kusibangele sibe nexhala size siphelelwe ngamandla. Elo xhala sinokulifanisa neankile ebamba inqanawa ingahambi. (IMize. 12:25) Yintoni enokubangela uzive ngaloo ndlela? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uswelekelwe sisihlobo, ugula kakhulu, uyachaswa okanye kufuneka wondle intsapho kule meko yezoqoqosho imaxongo. Loo nto isenokwenza kube nzima kuwe uze uphelelwe ngamandla. Usenokude ungonwabi. Kodwa qiniseka ukuba uThixo usoloko efuna ukukuncenda.—Funda uIsaya 41:10, 13.

3, 4. (a) Libhekisela entwenini igama elithi “izandla” eBhayibhileni? (b) Yintoni enokubangela izandla zethu ziwe?

³ Maxa wambi iBhayibhile ithetha ngamalungu omzimba ukuze icacise iimpawu okanye izenzo ezithile. Ngokomzekelo,  ithetha ngesandla kangangezihlandlo ezininzi. Ukomeleza isandla somntu kusenokuthetha ukumkhuthaza. (1 Sam. 23:16; Ezra 1:6) Kwakhona kusenokuthetha ukuba nethemba ngekamva.

⁴ Ukuyeka izandla ziwe, ngamanye amaxesha kubhekisela kumntu odimazekileyo, otyhafileyo nongenathemba. (2 Kron. 15:7; Heb. 12:12) Kuqhelekile ngomntu okwimeko enjalo ukuvel’ anikezele. Unokukhuthazwa yintoni xa ukwimeko ekubangela uzive uphelelwe ngamandla, lukholo okanye uphantsi emoyeni? Yintoni enokukhuthaza ize ikunike amandla okunyamezela uze uvuye?

5. (a) Xa sisehlelwa ziingxaki, sinokuvakalelwa njani, kodwa yintoni esimele sizikhumbuze yona? (b) Siza kuxubusha ngantoni?

⁵ Funda uZefaniya 3:16, 17. Kunokuba soyike size sidimazeke, nto leyo efana nokuwa kwezandla zethu, uYehova uBawo wethu onenkathalo uyasimema ukuba ‘siliphose kuye lonke ixhala lethu.’ (1 Pet. 5:7) Sinokukhuthazwa koko kwathethwa nguThixo kumaSirayeli, esithi kuwo ‘isandla sakhe esinamandla asisifutshane ukuba singabasindisi’ abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo. (Isa. 59:1) Siza kuxubusha ngemizekelo emithathu ephambili eseBhayibhileni, ebonisa ukuba uYehova uyakunqwenela yaye ukulungele ukomeleza abantu bakhe ukuze benze ukuthanda kwakhe, nakubeni bejongene nobunzima obubonakala ngathi buyabongamela. Jonga indlela le mizekelo enokukomeleza ngayo.

6, 7. Ziintoni esizifundayo ekoyiseni kwamaSirayeli ama-Amaleki?

⁶ Emva nje kokuba amaSirayeli ekhululwe ngokungummangaliso ebukhobokeni baseYiputa, ama-Amaleki awahlasela. UYoshuwa owayenesibindi walandela ulwalathiso lukaMoses waza wawakhokela ukuya edabini. Kanye ngelo xesha, uMoses wahamba noAron noHure baya kwinduli ekufutshane nendawo ekwakulwelwa kuyo imfazwe ukuze babukele. Ngaba loo madoda ayengamagwala? Akunjalo!

⁷ UMoses wasebenzisa icebo elithile elabangela ukuba amaSirayeli aphumelele. UMoses waphakamisela phezulu intonga yoThixo oyinyaniso ebudeni balo lonke ixesha lemfazwe. Xa eyiphakamisele phezulu, uYehova wayezomeleza izandla zamaSirayeli ukuze awoyise ama-Amaleki. Sekunjalo, xa izandla zikaMoses zidinwa zize ziqalise ukuwa, ama-Amaleki ayeqalisa ukuphumelela. UAron noHure bagqiba kwelokuba, ‘bathabathe ilitye, balibeke phantsi kwakhe, ukuze ahlale kulo [uMoses]. UAron noHure bazixhasa izandla zakhe, omnye ekweli cala nomnye ekweliyaa, zaza zahlala ziqinile izandla zakhe de latshona ilanga.’ Isandla sikaThixo esinamandla sawanceda amaSirayeli oyisa.—Eks. 17:8-13.

8. (a) Wenza ntoni uAsa xa wabona umkhosi wamaTiyopiya owawufuna ukuhlasela amaYuda? (b) Sinokuyixelisa njani indlela uAsa awathembela ngayo kuThixo?

⁸ UYehova waphinda wabonisa ukuba, isandla sakhe asikho sifutshane, ngemihla kaKumkani uAsa. IBhayibhile ithetha ngeemfazwe ezininzi. Kodwa owona mkhosi wakha wamkhulu, ngokaZera umTiyopiya. Wawunamajoni ayi-1 000 000 aqhele imfazwe. Loo mkhosi, wawuwuphinda phantse kube kabini umkhosi ka-Asa. Khawufan’ ucinge indlela awayenokusuka abe nexhala ngayo uAsa, oyike aze aziyeke ziwe izandla zakhe, oyiswe. Kunoko, uAsa akazange alibazise ukufuna uncedo kuYehova. Ewe kona, kwakubonakala kuyinto engenakwenzeka ukoyisa  amaTiyopiya, “kodwa kuThixo izinto zonke zinako ukwenzeka.” (Mat. 19:26) UThixo wabonisa amandla akhe amakhulu, waza “wawoyisa amaTiyopiya phambi kuka-Asa,” ‘owayenentliziyo epheleleyo kuYehova imihla yakhe yonke.’—2 Kron. 14:8-13; 1 Kum. 15:14.

9. (a) Yintoni eyabangela uNehemiya ukuba angayeki ukwakha iindonga zeYerusalem? (b) UThixo wawuphendula njani umthandazo kaNehemiya?

⁹ Khawucinge indlela uNehemiya awayemele ukuba wayevakalelwa ngayo xa waya eYerusalem. Isixeko sasingakhuselekanga ncam, ibe namaYuda ayedimazekile. Ayesoyikiswa ngabachasi, yaye oko kwenza zatyhafa izandla zawo aza ayeka ukwakha iindonga zeYerusalem. Ngaba naye uNehemiya wavumela le meko ukuba ibangele izandla zakhe zityhafe? Akunjalo! NjengoMoses, uAsa nabanye abakhonzi bakaYehova abathembekileyo, naye uNehemiya wayesele eqhelile ukuthandaza kuYehova. Nangesi sihlandlo wathembela ngaye. Xa kwakubonakala ngathi imeko yamaYuda imbi, uYehova wasiphendula isicelo soncedo esinyanisekileyo sikaNehemiya. UThixo wasebenzisa ‘amandla akhe amakhulu nesandla sakhe esomeleleyo,’ ukuze omeleze izandla zamaYuda ezazisiwa. (Funda uNehemiya 1:10; 2:17-20; 6:9.) Ngaba uyayikholelwa into yokuba uYehova usebenzisa ‘amandla akhe amakhulu nesandla sakhe esomeleleyo,’ ukuze omeleze abakhonzi bakhe namhlanje?

10, 11. (a) USathana uzama njani ukuwisa izandla zethu? (b) UYehova usebenzisa ntoni ukuze asomeleze aze asinike amandla? (c) Uncedwe njani yimfundo naluqeqesho lwentlangano?

¹⁰ Sinokuqiniseka ukuba noMtyholi akasoze aziyeke izandla zakhe ziwe. Akasoze atyhafe ekwenzeni amaKristu ayeke ukukhonza uThixo. Usebenzisa ubuxoki aze asoyikise ngabasemagunyeni, ngeenkokeli zonqulo nangabawexuki. Uyenzela ntoni loo nto? Ufuna izandla zethu zityhafe kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. Kodwa ke, uYehova unako yaye uyafuna ukusomeleza ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele. (1 Kron. 29:12) Kubalulekile ukuba siwusebenzise loo moya, ukuze sikwazi ukumelana nayo nantoni na elisilingela kuyo eli hlabathi likaSathana, nale nkqubo yakhe yezinto ikhohlakeleyo. (INdu. 18:39; 1 Kor. 10:13) Kwakhona simele sivuye kuba sineLizwi likaThixo, eliphefumlelwe ngomoya wakhe. Khawucinge nangokutya kokomoya esikufumana rhoqo ngenyanga. Amazwi kaZekariya 8:9, 13 (mfunde) athethwa ngexesha ekwakusakhiwa ngalo kwakhona iYerusalem, yaye loo mazwi asasebenza nakuthi.

¹¹ Somelezwa nakoko sikufunda eBhayibhileni kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, kwiindibano nakwizikolo zentlangano. Olo qeqesho lungasinceda ukuba sibe nokholo olomeleleyo, sandise inkonzo yethu kuThixo, size siphumeze iimbopheleleko zethu. (INdu. 119:32) Ngaba uzama ngawo onke amandla akho ukuze womelezwe yiloo mfundiso?

12. Sifanele senze ntoni ukuze someleze ukholo lwethu?

¹² UYehova wawanceda amaSirayeli oyisa ama-Amaleki namaTiyopiya, waza wanika uNehemiya nabo babesebenza naye amandla ukuze bagqibe ukwakha. Nathi, uThixo uza kusinika amandla ukuze simelane nenkcaso, nabantu abangenamdla nokuba nexhala, ukuze siqhubeke sishumayela. (1 Pet. 5:10) Asilindelanga ukuba uYehova asenzele imimangaliso. Kodwa kukho izinto ekufuneka  sizenze. Ziquka ukufunda iLizwi likaThixo yonke imihla, ukulungiselela nokuya ezintlanganisweni veki nganye, ukondla iingqondo neentliziyo zethu ngofundisiso lobuqu nangonqulo lwentsapho nokusoloko sithandaza kuYehova. Masingaze sivumele ukuxakeka nezinye izinto ukuba zisiphazamise, singazisebenzisi ezi ndlela uYehova asomeleza nasikhuthaza ngazo. Xa ubona ukuba izandla zakho ziye zawa kwenye yezi ndlela, cela uThixo akuncede. Uya kubona indlela umoya wakhe ‘oya kukunika ngayo amandla okunqwenela nawokwenza ngokokuthanda kwakhe.’ (Fil. 2:13) Kodwa ke, ungenza ntoni ukuze womeleze izandla zabanye?

13, 14. (a) Omnye umzalwana womelezwa yintoni emva kokuswelekelwa yinkosikazi? (b) Sinokwenza ntoni ukuze someleze abanye?

¹³ UYehova usinceda ngabazalwana bethu abasehlabathini lonke, abanokusikhuthaza ngokwenene. Khumbula ukuba umpostile uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Zoluleni izandla eziwileyo namadolo anengevane, nize nihlale nizenzela umendo othe tye iinyawo zenu.” (Heb. 12:12, 13) Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, abaninzi bomelezwa kanye ngaloo ndlela. Kusenjalo nanamhlanje. Omnye umzalwana owaswelekelwa yinkosikazi waza wehlelwa nazezinye izinto ezibuhlungu, wathi: “Ndifunde ukuba asinakuzikhetha iingxaki emazisehlele nokuba zisehlele nini nakangaphi. Ukuthandaza nofundisiso lobuqu ziye zandinceda. Ndiye ndathuthuzelwa nakukuxhaswa ngabazalwana noodade. Ngoku ndiyiqonda kakuhle indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba nobuhlobo obomeleleyo noYehova, ungekahlelwa ziimeko ezinzima.”

¹⁴ UAron noHure benza okuthile ukuze baxhase izandla zikaMoses ebudeni bemfazwe. Nathi zikhona izinto esinokuzenza ukuze sincede abanye. Sincede oobani? Abo balupheleyo, abakhathazwa yimpilo, abachaswayo ziintsapho zabo, abangamalolo okanye abo baswelekelwe sisihlobo. Sinokomeleza nabasebatsha abaphenjelelwa ukuba benze izinto ezingafanelekanga, okanye baphenjelelwe ekubeni bafune iindlela “zokuphumelela” zale nkqubo yezinto, ngokufunda bayityekeze, babe nemali eninzi okanye bazifunele imisebenzi enomvuzo oncumisayo. (1 Tes. 3:1-3; 5:11, 14) Khangela iindlela onokubonisa ngazo ukuba unomdla ongazenziyo ebantwini xa ukwiHolo yoBukumkani, usentsimini, nisitya kunye okanye nincokola ngefowuni.

15. Amanye amaKristu anokuncedwa njani ngamazwi akhuthazayo?

¹⁵ Emva kokuba uAsa oyise ngendlela engathethekiyo, umprofeti uAzariya wamkhuthaza, yena nabantu bakhe ngala mazwi: “Ke nina, yibani nesibindi mazingawi izandla zenu, ngenxa yokuba kukho umvuzo emsebenzini wenu.”(2 Kron. 15:7) Oku kwabangela uAsa ukuba atshintshe izinto ezininzi ukuze abuyisele unqulo lokwenyaniso. Ngendlela efanayo, amazwi akho akhuthazayo anokunceda abantu bazimisele ngakumbi ekukhonzeni uYehova. (IMize. 15:23) Xa usezintlanganisweni, ungaze uyithathe kancinci into yokuphakamisa isandla uze ugqabaze, kuba ungabakhuthaza abantu.

16. NjengoNehemiya, abadala banokuzomeleza njani izandla zabasebandleni? Khawubalise ngendlela aye akunceda ngayo amanye amaKristu.

¹⁶ Bexhaswa nguYehova, uNehemiya nabo babekunye naye bazomeleza izandla zabo ukuze basebenze. Bagqiba ukwakha iindonga zaseYerusalem ngeentsuku nje eziyi-52! (Neh. 2:18; 6:15, 16) UNehemiya akazange aphelele ekujongeni ukuba  umsebenzi wenziwa kakuhle. Kodwa naye wafaka isandla ekwakhiweni kweendonga zaseYerusalem. (Neh. 5:16) Nanamhlanje, abadala benza okufanayo noko kwenziwa nguNehemiya, ngokuncedisa xa kusakhiwa iindawo zokunqulela okanye bacoce baze banyamekele iHolo yoBukumkani. Banokomeleza nezandla zabo batyhafileyo nabanexhala, ngokusebenza nabavakalisi entsimini nangokwenza utyelelo lokwalusa.—Funda uIsaya 35:3, 4.

17, 18. Xa sineengxaki okanye sinexhala, sinokuthembela ngantoni?

¹⁷ Ukukhonza kunye nabazalwana noodade sibambisene kusinceda sibe yimbumba yamanyama. Kukwasinceda sibe nobuhlobo obomoleleyo namanye amaKristu kuze kusenze siqiniseke ngakumbi ngeentsikelelo eziya kuziswa buBukumkani bukaThixo. Njengoko sisomeleza izandla zawo, siwanceda akwazi ukunyamezela iimeko ezidimazayo, aze aqhubeke ekhangele kwikamva enethemba. Ukongezelela, ukuwomeleza kusinceda sihlale sinokholo lize ithemba uThixo asinike lona, lihlale lithe thaa ezingqondweni zethu. Kuyazomeleza nezandla zethu.

¹⁸ Ukubona indlela uYehova aye wabaxhasa ngayo abakhonzi bakhe kwiimeko ezahlukeneyo kwixesha langaphambili, kufanele kuqinise ukholo lwethu nentembelo yethu kuye. Ngoko xa usiva ubunzima yaye uneengxaki, “mazingawi izandla zakho”! Kunoko, thandaza kuYehova uze uvumele isandla sakhe esinamandla sikomeleze size sikukhokele, ukuze ufumane iintsikelelo zoBukumkani.—INdu. 73:23, 24.