1, 2. UYehova ubakhokela njani abantu bakhe?

UKUTYHUBELA imbali yeBhayibhile, abantu babekhokelwa nguYehova ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo. UThixo wayethetha nabanye esebenzisa iingelosi okanye imibono namaphupha, ebabonisa izinto ezaziza kwenzeka. UYehova wayebathuma nokuba benze izabelo ezithile. (Num. 7:89; Hez. 1:1; Dan. 2:19) Abanye babefumana ulwalathiso kubantu abathunywe nguYehova. Kungakhathaliseki ukuba abantu bakaYehova babelufumana njani ulwalathiso, abo babemthobela basikelelwa.

² Namhlanje, uYehova ukhokela abantu bakhe esebenzisa iBhayibhile, umoya wakhe oyingcwele kunye nebandla. (IZe. 9:31; 15:28; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17) Indlela asikhokela ngayo icace gca, kangangokuba kuba ngathi ‘iindlebe zethu ziva ilizwi emva kwethu lisithi: “Nantsi indlela. Hambani ngayo.”’ (Isa. 30:21) UYehova usebenzisa uYesu ukuba adlulisele ilizwi lakhe kuthi njengoko ekhokela ibandla esebenzisa ‘ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ (Mat. 24:45) Simele singaluthabathi lula olo khokelo, kuba ukufumana kwethu ubomi obungunaphakade kuxhomekeke ekuluthobeleni.—Heb. 5:9.

3. Yintoni enokusenza singafuni ukumthobela ngokupheleleyo uYehova? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

³ USathana uMtyholi uzimisele ukulusingela phantsi ukhokelo esilufumana kuYehova. Ngaphezu koko, ‘intliziyo yethu  enenkohliso’ inokusenza singafuni ukumthobela ngokupheleleyo uYehova. (Yer. 17:9) Ngoko, makhe sithethe ngendlela esinokuyoyisa ngayo nayiphi na imiqobo eyenza kube nzima ukuphulaphula ilizwi likaThixo. Siza kuthetha nangendlela okunokusinceda ngayo ukuphulaphula nokuthandaza rhoqo kuYehova sihlale sinolwalamano oluhle naye, kungakhathaliseki ukuba sikweyiphi imeko.

4. USathana uzama njani ukujija iingqondo zabantu?

⁴ USathana uzama ukujija iingqondo zabantu ngokusasaza inkcazelo ebubuxoki. (Funda eyoku-1 kaYohane 5:19.) Ukongezelela kwiincwadi ezibhaliweyo, ihlabathi lonke—nezona ndawo zisemagqagaleni—lizaliswe yinkcazelo esasazwa ngonomathotholo, iTV neIntanethi. Nangona loo majelo edla ngokuba nenkcazelo ebangel’ umdla, amaxesha amaninzi adla ngokukhuthaza indlela yokuziphatha nemilinganiselo engqubanayo nekaYehova. (Yer. 2:13) Ngokomzekelo, adla ngokuthetha ngokutshata kwamafanasini njengento eyamkelekileyo, ibe abantu abaninzi bavakalelwa kukuba oko kuthethwa yiBhayibhile ngobufanasini kukubaxwa nje kwezinto.—1 Kor. 6:9, 10.

5. Singakuphepha njani ukuthiwa swii bubuxoki bukaSathana?

⁵ Abantu abathanda uThixo banokukuphepha njani ukuthiwa swii bubuxoki bukaSathana? Banokwahlula njani phakathi kokubi nokulungileyo? “Ngokuzilinda ngokwelizwi [likaThixo]”! (INdu. 119:9) ILizwi likaThixo liyasinceda sikwazi ukwahlula phakathi kwenyaniso nobuxoki obukhohlisayo. (IMize. 23:23) Ecaphula iZibhalo, uYesu wathi umntu “uphila ngamazwi onke aphuma emlonyeni kaYehova.” (Mat. 4:4) Simele sifunde indlela yokusebenzisa imigaqo yeBhayibhile ebomini bethu. Ngokomzekelo, kwakude kudala ngaphambi kokuba uMoses abhale umthetho kaYehova ngokukrexeza, uYosefu owayeselula wayeqonda ukuba ukuziphatha kakubi ngolo hlobo kukona uThixo. Akazange afune nokuyicinga into yokungamthobeli uYehova xa umkaPotifare wayezama ukumlukuhla ukuba enze isono. (Funda iGenesis 39:7-9.) Nakuba umkaPotifare wazama ukumhenda izihlandlo eziliqela, uYosefu akazange avumele ezo nzame ukuba zimenze angaliva ilizwi likaThixo. Ukuze sikwazi ukwahlula okubi kokulungileyo, simele siphulaphule ilizwi likaYehova size sival’ iindlebe kubuxoki obusasazwa nguSathana.

6, 7. Yintoni esimele siyenze ukuze siphephe amacebiso kaSathana?

⁶ Ihlabathi lizele ziinkolelo neemfundiso zonqulo ezininzi kangangokuba abantu bakubona kulilize ukufuna olona nqulo lokwenyaniso. Noko ke, uYehova wenze kwalula ukufumana eyona nyaniso kwabo bakulungeleyo ukuliphulaphula ilizwi lakhe. Simele sikhethe ukuba siya kuphulaphula bani. Ekubeni singenakukwazi ukuphulaphula amazwi abantu ababini ngaxeshanye, simele ‘silazi ilizwi’  likaYesu size siliphulaphule. Nguye obekwe nguYehova ukuba anyamekele izimvu zakhe.—Funda uYohane 10:3-5.

⁷ UYesu wathi: “Nikelani ingqalelo koko nikuvayo.” (Marko 4:24) Iziluleko zikaYehova zicacile ibe zichanile, kodwa simele sinikele ingqalelo kuzo size silungise iintliziyo zethu ukuze siziphulaphule. Ukuba asilumkanga, sinokuzibhaqa sele siphulaphula amacebiso kaSathana endaweni yeziluleko zothando zikaThixo. Ungaze uvumele umculo, iividiyo, iinkqubo zeTV, iincwadi, abahlobo, ootitshala okanye oongqondo-ngqondo behlabathi ukuba balawule indlela ophila ngayo.—Kol. 2:8.

8. (a) Intliziyo yethu inokusenza njani silukuhlwe ngamaqhinga kaSathana? (b) Yintoni enokwenzeka kuthi ukuba siyibetha ngoyaba iminqweno ekhulayo ezintliziyweni zethu?

⁸ USathana uyazi ukuba sinotyekelo lwesono, ibe uye azame ukusenza sinikezele kulo. Xa esihlasela ngale ndlela, kuba nzima ukugcina ingqibelelo yethu. (Yoh. 8:44-47) Sinokuwoyisa njani lo mqobo? Khawucinge ngomntu otshiswa ngumnqweno wokuziyolisa okwexeshana de enze into ebecinga ukuba akanakuyenza. (Roma 7:15) Ibangelwe yintoni loo nto? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba loo mntu uye ngokuthe ngcembe wayeka ukuphulaphula ilizwi likaYehova. Mhlawumbi uye akawubona loo mnqweno ukhula entliziyweni yakhe okanye uye wakhetha ukuwubetha ngoyaba. Ngokomzekelo, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uye wayeka ukuthandaza, waya manqaphanqapha entsimini okanye kwiintlanganiso. Ekugqibeleni, uye wanikezela kuloo mnqweno waza wenza into ayazi kakuhle ukuba ayilunganga. Sinokukuphepha ukwenza iimpazamo ezilolo hlobo ukuba sihlala silugadile naluphi na utyekelo olunokuvela size sikhawuleze sizame ukuloyisa. Ukuba siphulaphula ilizwi likaYehova, asiyi kuphulaphula nayo nantoni na evela kubawexuki.—IMize. 11:9.

9. Kutheni kubalulekile ukukhawuleza silubone utyekelo lwesono?

⁹ Ukuba isigulo somntu sibonwe kwangethuba, loo nto inokusindisa ubomi bakhe. Ngendlela efanayo, sinokuphepha intlekele ukuba sikhawuleza silubone utyekelo olunokusihenda. Sakuba silubonile olo tyekelo, zisuka nje simele silwe nalo—‘singekabanjiswa siphila nguSathana ukuze siphumeze ukuthanda kwakhe.’ (2 Tim. 2:26) Simele senze ntoni xa sibona ukuba siye sacinga saza saneminqweno angayifuniyo uYehova? Ngokukhawuleza, simele sizithobe size sibuyele kuye, siphulaphule isiluleko sakhe  ngentliziyo epheleleyo. (Isa. 44:22) Simele siqonde ukuba ukwenza isigqibo esiphosakeleyo kunokusifaka engxakini kule nkqubo yezinto. Kuya kuba bhetele ukuphulaphula uYehova kwasekuqaleni!

10, 11. (a) Ikratshi libonakala njani? (b) Sifunda ntoni kwikhondo elibi likaKora, uDatan noAbhiram?

¹⁰ Simele siqonde ukuba iintliziyo zethu zinokusilukuhla. Utyekelo lwesono lunamandla angathethekiyo! Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngezi mpawu zimbini: ikratshi nokubawa. Ezi mpawu zinokusenza singaliphulaphuli kakuhle ilizwi likaYehova size senze izinto ezimbi. Umntu onekratshi uyaziphakamisa. Usenokucinga ukuba angenza nantoni na ayifunayo, ibe akukho mntu unokumxelela into amakayenze. Ngoko usenokucinga ukuba alusebenzi kuye ulwalathiso namacebiso avela kwamanye amaKristu, abadala nakwintlangano kaThixo. Iindlebe zomntu onjalo ziba buthuntu kwilizwi likaYehova.

¹¹ Xa amaSirayeli ayesentlango, uKora, uDatan noAbhiram bavukela igunya likaMoses noAron. Ngenxa yekratshi, abo bavukeli benza amalungiselelo okunqula uYehova ngeyabo indlela. Wathini uYehova? Wabatshabalalisa bonke. (Num. 26:8-10) Le ngxelo isifundisa isifundo esibalulekileyo. Ukuvukela uYehova kukhokelela kwintlekele. Simele sikhumbule nokuba “ikratshi liphambi kokuwa.”—IMize. 16:18; Isa. 13:11.

12, 13. (a) Yenza umzekelo wendlela ukubawa okunokukhokelela ngayo kwintlekele. (b) Chaza indlela ukubawa okunokukhula ngayo ukuba umntu akaqapheli.

¹² Cinga nangokubawa. Umntu obawayo udla ngokugabadela aze angabi nasimilo. Emva kokuba uNahaman, intloko yomkhosi waseSiriya, waphiliswa kwiqhenqa awayenalo, wafuna ukunika umprofeti uElisha izipho, kodwa lo mprofeti wala ukuzithatha. Noko ke, uGehazi, owayengumlindi kaElisha, wazibawela ezo zipho. Wazixelela oku: “Njengoko uYehova ephila, ndiya kumsukela [uNahaman], ndithabathe okuthile kuye.” UGehazi wazimela waleqa uNahaman waza wamxokisa, efuna “italente yesilivere nezambatho zokutshintsha zibe zibini.” Yakhokelela entwenini le nto yenziwa nguGehazi nokuxoka kwakhe kumprofeti kaYehova? Iqhenqa likaNahaman lafunyanwa nguGehazi!—2 Kum. 5:20-27.

¹³ Ukubawa kunokuqala kancinane, kodwa ukuba umntu akaqapheli, kunokukhula kuze kumongamele. Ibali lika-Akan eliseBhayibhileni liyibonisa kakuhle indlela okunamandla ngayo ukubawa. Jonga nje indlela okwakhawuleza kwakhula ngayo ukubawa kuka-Akan. Wathi: “Ndithe ndakubona phakathi kwamaxhoba umnweba waseShinare, okhangeleka kakuhle, namakhulu amabini eeshekele zesilivere nesitena esinye segolide, sinobunzima obuziishekele ezingamashumi amahlanu, ndazinqwenela, ndaza ndazithabatha.” Kunokuba azame ukuwucinezela loo mnqweno, uAkan wabawa waza wayiba loo mpahla, wayifihla ententeni yakhe. Xa ububi obenziwa nguAkan babonakala ekuhleni, uYoshuwa wamxelela ukuba uYehova wayeza kuzisa intlekele kuye nakwintsapho yakhe. UAkan nentsapho yakhe baxulutywa ngamatye kanye ngolo suku. (Yosh. 7:11, 21, 24, 25) Ukubawa luphawu oluyingozi olunokusongamela. Ngoko ‘masizilinde kulo lonke uhlobo lwenkanuko.’ (Luka 12:15) Nakuba maxa wambi kunokuthi qatha izinto ezingakhiyo okanye ezingcolileyo ezingqondweni zethu, kubalulekile ukuba sizilawule iingcinga zethu size singayivumeli iminqweno yethu ukuba ikhokelele ekwenzeni isono.—Funda uYakobi 1:14, 15.

14. Yintoni esimele siyenze xa sizibona sinotyekelo lwekratshi nokubawa?

¹⁴ Ikratshi nokubawa kunokukhokelela kwintlekele. Ukucinga ngemiphumo yokwenza  ububi kuya kusinceda singaluvumeli utyekelo esinalo lusenze singaliphulaphuli ilizwi likaYehova. (Dut. 32:29) EBhayibhileni, uThixo oyinyaniso akapheleli nje ekusixeleleni ngelona khondo lifanelekileyo, kodwa usichazela neengenelo zokulandela elo khondo kunye nemiphumo yokuhamba ngendlela ephosakeleyo. Ukuba kuvela umnqweno entliziyweni yethu wokwenza into eqhutywa likratshi okanye ukubawa, kuya kusinceda ukucinga ngemiphumo! Simele sicinge ngendlela izenzo zethu eziya kusichaphazela ngayo thina, abahlobo nezalamane zethu, kunye nolwalamano lwethu noYehova.

15. Yintoni esinokuyifunda ngonxibelelwano kumzekelo kaYesu?

¹⁵ UYehova ufuna izinto zisihambele kakuhle. (INdu. 1:1-3) Uyasikhokela kanye ngexesha esiludinga ngalo ukhokelo lwakhe. (Funda amaHebhere 4:16.) Nangona wayefezekile, uYesu wayehlala enxibelelana noYehova, ibe wayethandaza rhoqo. UYehova wayemxhasa yaye emkhokela ngeendlela ezimangalisayo uYesu. Wathumela iingelosi ukuba zimlungiselele, wamnika umoya oyingcwele ukuze umncede, waza wamkhokela xa wayekhetha abapostile bakhe abayi-12. Ilizwi likaYehova lavakala livela ezulwini, ebonisa ukuba uyamxhasa yaye uyakholiswa nguYesu. (Mat. 3:17; 17:5; Marko 1:12, 13; Luka 6:12, 13; Yoh. 12:28) NjengoYesu, simele sizityand’ igila kuThixo. (INdu. 62:7, 8; Heb. 5:7) Ukuthandaza kuya kusinceda sihlale sinxibelelene noYehova size senze izinto eziya kumzukisa.

16. Sinokulufumana njani uncedo lukaYehova ukuze sikwazi ukuliva ilizwi lakhe?

¹⁶ Nangona amacebiso kaYehova efumaneka lula, akanyanzeli mntu ukuba awasebenzise. Kufuneka sicele umoya wakhe oyingcwele, ibe uya kusinika ngesisa. (Funda uLuka 11:10-13.) Noko ke, kubalulekile ukuba ‘sinikele ingqalelo kwindlela esiphulaphula ngayo.’ (Luka 8:18) Ngokomzekelo, bekuya kuba kukuhanahanisa ukucela uYehova ukuba asincede silwe notyekelo lokuziphatha kakubi ngoxa sibukela iphonografi okanye iimuvi ezingcolileyo. Kufuneka sihlale siqinisekisa ukuba senza izinto size siye kwiindawo ezinomoya kaYehova. Siyazi ukuba umoya wakhe uba khona kwiintlanganiso zebandla. Abakhonzi bakaYehova abaninzi baye baphepha intlekele ngokuphulaphula uYehova kwiintlanganiso zethu. Oko kuye kwabanceda bakhawuleza bayibona iminqweno emibi ekhulayo ezintliziyweni zabo baza bayilungisa.—INdu. 73:12-17; 143:10.

17. Kutheni kuyingozi ukuthembela emandleni ethu?

¹⁷ Khawucinge ngoKumkani uDavide wakwaSirayeli. Eselula, woyisa ingxilimbela yamaFilisti enguGoliyati. UDavide waba lijoni, ukumkani, umkhuseli waza wenza izigqibo ezanceda uhlanga lwamaSirayeli. Kodwa wathi akuthembela emandleni akhe, yamkhohlisa intliziyo yakhe, waza wenza isono noBhatshebha, wada wenza iyelenqe lokuba kubulawe umyeni wakhe, u-Uriya. Xa walulekwayo, uDavide wathobeka, wazivuma izono zakhe waza waphinda wanolwalamano oluhle noYehova.—INdu. 51:4, 6, 10, 11.

18. Yintoni enokusinceda siqhubeke siliphulaphula ilizwi likaYehova?

¹⁸ Masiliphulaphule icebiso elikweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 10:12 size singazithembi ngokugqithisileyo. Ekubeni singenakukwazi ‘ukwalathisa amanyathelo ethu,’ ekugqibeleni siya kuphulaphula ilizwi likaYehova okanye eloTshaba lwakhe. (Yer. 10:23) Masithandaze rhoqo, sivume ukukhokelwa ngumoya oyingcwele, size siliphulaphule ilizwi likaYehova.