1. (a) Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba silwe noSathana, ingakumbi kweli xesha lethu? (b) Sazi njani ukuba singamoyisa uSathana?

USATHANA ubhinq’ omfutshane esilwa nabathanjiswa abaselapha emhlabeni “nezinye izimvu.” (Yohane. 10:16) Kweli xesha lincinci asenalo, uMtyholi ufuna ukutshabalalisa ukholo lwabakhonzi bakaYehova abaninzi kangangoko anako. (Funda iSityhilelo 12:9, 12) Kodwa sinako ukumoyisa uSathana. IBhayibhile ithi: “Mchaseni uMtyholi, wonibaleka.”—Yakobi 4:7.

2, 3. (a) Kutheni uSathana efuna abantu bacinge ukuba akakho? (b) Wazi njani ukuba uSathana ukho?

² Kubantu abaninzi yintsom’ emini into yokuba uSathana ukho. Kubo, uSathana needemon zizinto nje ofunda ngazo encwadini, kwiimuvi ezoyikisayo nakwimidlalo yevidiyo. Bathi akukho kwamntu ukrelekrele onokuzixakekisa ngokukholelwa kubukho boomoya abangendawo. Ngaba uSathana uyikhathalele into yokuba abantu bengakholelwa ukuba yena needemon bakho? Akabethelwa nangu-do! Kaloku kuSathana, abo bantu ngabona kulula ukubaqhatha. (2 Korinte 4:4) Eneneni, ikwangulo Sathanandini ofundisa abantu ukuba akakho, ukuze akwazi ukubalahlekisa.

 ³ Thina bakhonzi bakaYehova asilahlekiswanga. Siyazi ukuba uMtyholi ukho. Sazi njani? IBhayibhile ithi uSathana wathetha noEva esebenzisa inyoka. (Genesis 3:1-5) Wathetha noYehova etyhola uYobhi. (Yobhi 1:9-12) USathana wakha wazama nokuhenda uYesu. (Mateyu 4:1-10) Nasemva kokuba uYesu ebe nguKumkani ngo-1914, uSathana waqalisa ‘ukulwa imfazwe’ nabathanjiswa abasesemhlabeni. (ISityhilelo 12:17) Le mfazwe isaqhubeka njengoko uMtyholi ezama ukutshabalalisa ukholo lwabathanjiswa nezinye izimvu. Ukuze soyise kweli dabi, sifanele simlwe uSathana size someleze ukholo lwethu. Kweli nqaku siza kuthetha ngeendlela ezintathu zokwenza oku.

4. Kutheni sisithi uSathana ulikratshi ngokwalo?

⁴ USathana unekratshi ngeyona ndlela. Le ngelosi ingendawo yaba nesibindi sokuthi uThixo akanalungelo lakulawula, ibe yazama ukuba kunqulwe yona kunoYehova. Ngoko ulikratshi nokuziqhenya kuhamba. Ngoko ke, enye yeendlela esinokumlwa ngazo uSathana, kukungabi nakratshi size sithobeke. (Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 5:5.) Kodwa liyintoni ikratshi? Ngaba lisoloko lilibi?

5, 6. (a) Ngaba ukuqhayisa kusoloko kukubi? Cacisa. (b) Kukuphi ukuziqhenya okubi, yaye yiyiphi imizekelo yako eseBhayibhileni?

⁵ Esinye isichazi-magama sithi ikratshi lisenokuthetha ukuzithemba nokuzihlonela. Kwakhona sithi “kukuba nebhongo ngenxa yokuba wena okanye abantu abasondeleyo kuwe benze okanye benento entle.” Akukho nto imbi ngaloo nto. Umpostile uPawulos wathi kubazalwana baseTesalonika: “Siyaqhayisa ngani phakathi kwamabandla kaThixo ngenxa yonyamezelo nokholo lwenu kuzo zonke iintshutshiso neembandezelo enizinyamezelayo.” (2 Tesalonika 1:4) Ngoko, ukuba nebhongo ngomsebenzi owenziwe ngabanye okanye sithi kunokusinceda. Asimele sibe neentloni ngentsapho, imveli okanye indawo esikhulele kuyo.—IZenzo 21:39.

⁶ Kodwa ke, kukho uhlobo lokuziqhenya olunokusixabanisa nabanye, nkqu noYehova. Eli kratshi linokusenza sicaphuke xa silulekwa. Sinokude singasamkeli neso siluleko kunokuba sizithobe. (INdumiso 141:5) Eli kratshi lichazwa njengokuzicingela gqitha okanye “ukuziqhenya kwabantu abacinga ukuba babhetele kunabanye nangona bengenazizathu zibambekayo.” UYehova uyalicaphukela ikratshi. (Hezekile 33:28; Amosi 6:8) Kodwa ke uSathana uncuma yedwa xa ebona abantu benekratshi njengaye okanye beqhayisa ngeziqu zabo. Inoba watsho ngolukaBlankethi xa wabona uNimrodi, uFaro noAbhisalom benekratshi yaye beqhayisa ngeziqu zabo! (Genesis 10:8, 9; Eksodus 5:1, 2; 2 Samuweli 15:4-6) Ikwaleli kratshindini elabangela ukuba uKayin axabane noThixo. UYehova wamluleka ngokwakhe uKayin, kodwa ke ikratshi lalizivale ngci iindlebe zakhe. Wayenenkani, engenaxesha lesilumkiso sikaThixo, ibe akazange oyike ukona uYehova.—Genesis 4:6-8.

7, 8. (a) Yintoni ubuhlanga, ibe budibana njani nekratshi? (b) Chaza indlela ikratshi elinokulugxobha ngayo uxolo lwebandla.

⁷ Namhlanje abantu banekratshi ngeendlela ezininzi eziyingozi. Ngamanye  amaxesha likratshi elibangela ubuhlanga. Esinye isichazi-magama sithi ubuhlanga kukucalula abantu abangengabo abohlanga lwakho. “Ikwakukucinga ukuba abantu beentlanga ezahlukahlukeneyo baneempawu nezakhono ezingafaniyo yaye ezinye iintlanga zibhetele kunezinye kwasekuzalweni.” Ubuhlanga buye baphumela kwimilo, kwiimfazwe nakwindyikitya yokufa.

⁸ Izinto ezinjalo azifanele zenzeke kwibandla lamaKristu. Sekunjalo, ukungavani kwabazalwana noodade kusenokuqala ngekratshi de izinto zibe mbi kakhulu. Kwakha kwenzeka oko kumaKristu okuqala, yiloo nto uYakobi wabuza lo mbuzo ubalulekileyo: “Zibangelwa yintoni na iimfazwe neengxabano phakathi kwenu?” (Yakobi 4:1) Ukuba siyabacaphukela abanye yaye sicinga ukuba sibhetele kunabo, sinokuthetha okanye senze into enokubakhathaza ngeyona ndlela. (IMizekeliso 12:18) Kucacile ke ukuba ikratshi linokugxobha uxolo lwebandla.

9. IBhayibhile isinceda njani silwe ubuhlanga nekratshi? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁹ Ukuba simane sicinga ukuba sibhetele kunabanye, simele sikhumbule ukuba uYehova uyamcekisa “wonk’ ubani onekratshi entliziyweni.” (IMizekeliso 16:5) Kuhle nokumane sihlola iintliziyo zethu size sizibuze, ‘Ngaba ndicinga ukuba ndibhetele kunabantu bolunye uhlanga, ilizwe okanye isizwe?’ Ukuba sicinga njalo, siyilibele into yokuba uThixo “wazenza ngokuphuma kumntu omnye zonke iintlanga zabantu.” (IZenzo 17:26) Xa kunjalo kufana nokuba siluhlanga olunye kuba sonke sivela kuAdam. Bubudenge ukucinga ukuba uThixo wenza ezinye iintlanga zabhetele kunezinye. Ukuba sicinga ngolu hlobo, sivumela uSathana aqhekeze ibandla lamaKristu size singathandani. (Yohane 13:35) Ukuze simoyise uSathana sifanele silusiphule neengcambu naluphi na uhlobo lwekratshi.—IMizekeliso 16:18.

10, 11. (a) Kutheni kusenokuba lula ukuthanda ihlabathi? (b) Ukuthanda kukaDemas ihlabathi kwabangela ntoni?

¹⁰ USathana ‘ngumlawuli weli hlabathi,’ ibe uyalisebenzisa. (Yohane 12:31; 1 Yohane 5:19) Izinto ezininzi ezithandwayo kweli hlabathi ziyangqubana noko kufundiswa yiBhayibhile. Ewe kona, asizizo zonke izinto ezikweli hlabathi ezimbi. Kodwa sinokuqiniseka ukuba uSathana uya kusebenzisa ihlabathi lakhe ukuze asibambise ngokweminqweno yethu aze asenze sone. Ukanti usenokuzama ukusenza sithande eli hlabathi size siyeke ukunqula uYehova.—Funda eyoku-1 kaYohane 2:15, 16.

¹¹ Amanye amaKristu okuqala ayelithanda ihlabathi. Ngokomzekelo uPawulos wabhala wathi: “UDemas undishiyile, ngenxa yokuthanda inkqubo yezinto yangoku.” (2 Timoti 4:10) IBhayibhile ayichazi ukuba yintoni kanye  kanye le uDemas wayeyithanda ehlabathini ukuze ashiye uPawulos. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba waqalisa ukuthanda izinto eziphathekayo ngaphezu kokusebenzela uYehova. Ukuba kwakunjalo, uDemas waphoswa ngamalungelo achulumancisayo enkonzweni kaThixo. Ngaba ikho into ebhetele awayifumanayo? Tu! UDemas ngewayeqhubekile encedisa uPawulos. Ihlabathi lalingasoze limnike into ebhetele kunomvuzo ovela kuYehova!—IMizekeliso 10:22.

12. USathana unokusilukuhla njani ngokweminqweno yethu esebenzisa ‘amandla akhohlisayo obutyebi’?

¹² Oko kungenzeka nakuthi namhlanje. NjengamaKristu kuyinto eqhelekileyo ukufuna ukondla thina neentsapho zethu. (1 Timoti 5:8) UYehova ufuna sibonwabele ubomi. Siyazi loo nto kuba wanika uAdam noEva iparadesi entle. (Genesis 2:9) Kodwa uSathana unokusilukuhla ngokweminqweno yethu esebenzisa ‘amandla akhohlisayo obutyebi.’ (Mateyu 13:22) Abaninzi bacinga ukuba imali nezinto eziphathekayo zinokubenza bonwabe baze baphumelele ebomini. Ukuba sicinga ngolo hlobo, sinokulahlekelwa yeyona nto ixabisekileyo sinayo, ubuhlobo noYehova. UYesu walumkisa wathi: “Akukho bani unokukhonza iinkosi ezimbini; kuba usenokuyithiya enye aze ayithande enye, okanye anamathele kwenye aze ayidele enye. Aninakukhonza uThixo nobuTyebi.” (Mateyu 6:24) Ukuba eyona nto iphambili kuthi zizinto eziphathekayo, sele siyekile ukukhonza uYehova. Yiloo nto kanye uSathana ayifunayo. Kwanga singangaze sivumele imali okanye izinto enokuzithenga zibaluleke ngaphezu kobuhlobo bethu noYehova. Ukuze simoyise uSathana, kufuneka singaleqeki emva kwezinto eziphathekayo.—Funda eyoku-1 kuTimoti 6:6-10.

13. Eli hlabathi liyisasaze njani imbono egqwethekileyo ngomtshato nangesondo?

¹³ Enye indlela uSathana asibambisa ngayo kukuziphatha kakubi. Abantu baninzi bacinga ukuba ukuthembeka kumntu otshate naye kuyalibazisa, phofu bathi kwamtshato lowo uphelelwe lixesha. Ngokomzekelo, omnye umdlali weqonga wathi yinto engenakwenzeka ukuthembeka kumntu omnye. Waphinda wathi, “Akakho umntu endimaziyo othembekileyo okanye ofuna ukuthembeka.” Kanti omnye yena wathi, “Andiqondi ukuba yindlela esidalwe ngayo ukuba nomntu omnye ubomi bakho bonke.” USathana umel’ ukuba uvuya nyhani xa abantu abadumileyo begxeka isipho sikaThixo, umtshato. UMtyholi akawufuni nokuwubona umtshato yaye akafuni uphumelele. Ngoko, ukuze simoyise uSathana sifanele siwujonge umtshato ngendlela kaThixo.

14, 15. Yintoni onokuyenza xa uhendelwa ukuba uziphathe kakubi?

 ¹⁴ Enokuba sitshatile okanye asitshatanga, sifanele silwe nzima nalo lonke uhlobo lokuziphatha kakubi. Ngaba oku kulula? Akukho lula tu! Ngokomzekelo, ukuba uselula usenokuva abantwana ofunda nabo beqhayisa ngokuba bangalala naye nabani na abamfunayo. Basenokuqhayisa nangokuthumelelana imiyalezo nemifanekiso yamanyala ngefowuni. Phofu kwamanye amazwe, ukuthumelelana imiyalezo okanye imifanekiso yamanyala ngefowuni kufana nokuthumela iphonografi eyenziwa nabantwana. IBhayibhile ithi: “Lowo uqhelisela uhenyuzo wona nxamnye nomzimba wakhe.” (1 Korinte 6:18) Izifo ezosulela ngesondo ziye zabangela intlungu nokufa. Uninzi lolutsha oluye lwabelana ngesondo lungatshatanga, luyazisola. Indlela yokuzonwabisa yeli hlabathi ifuna sicinge ukuba akukho miphumo mibi ngokwaphula imithetho kaThixo. Ukuba siyabukholelwa obo buxoki, sinokulahlekiswa “ngamandla akhohlisayo esono.”—Hebhere 3:13.

¹⁵ Ukuba uhendelwa ekuziphatheni kakubi, yintoni onokuyenza? Yiqonde into yokuba unabo ubuthathaka. (Roma 7:22, 23) Thandaza ucele amandla kuThixo. (Filipi 4:6, 7, 13) Ziphephe izinto ezinokukwenza uziphathe  kakubi. (IMizekeliso 22:3) Xa kuvela isilingo, sibhebhethe ngoko nangoko.—Genesis 39:12.

16. Wathini uYesu xa wayehendwa nguSathana, ibe sinokufunda ntoni kuloo mzekelo?

¹⁶ UYesu ungumzekelo ogqwesileyo. Wayengaqhatheki zizithembiso zikaSathana. Akazange acinge kwaukucinga ngazo. Kunoko, wakhawuleza wathi kuSathana: “Kubhaliwe kwathiwa.” (Funda uMateyu 4:4-10.) UYesu wayelazi kakuhle iLizwi likaThixo, ngoko kwakulula ngaye ukucaphula izibhalo ngoko nangoko xa uSathana emhenda. Ukuze simoyise uSathana, asifanele siyivumele iminqweno yokuziphatha kakubi.—1 Korinte 6:9, 10.

17, 18. (a) Ziziphi iindlela uSathana asibambisa ngazo, ibe kutheni zingasothusi? (b) Yintoni eza kumehlela uSathana, yaye oko kukomeleza njani?

¹⁷ Ikratshi, ubutyebi nokuziphatha kakubi, zezinye nje iindlela ezintathu uSathana asibambisa ngazo. Kodwa ke aziphelelanga kwezi. Ngokomzekelo, amanye amaKristu achaswa zizalamane okanye abantwana abafunda nawo abahlekisa ngawo. Amanye ahlala kumazwe apho urhulumente azama ukuvala umsebenzi wokushumayela. Azisothusi ezo zinto. UYesu wasilumkisa wathi: “Niya kuthiywa ngabantu bonke ngenxa yegama lam; kodwa lowo uye wanyamezela kwasa ekupheleni ngulowo oya kusindiswa.”—Mateyu 10:22.

¹⁸ Sinokumoyisa njani uSathana? UYesu wathi: “Ngokunyamezela kwenu niya kuyizuza imiphefumlo yenu.” (Luka 21:19) Ayikho into eyenziwe ngumntu enokusenzakalisa ngokupheleleyo. Akakho umntu onokusahlukanisa noThixo, ngaphandle kokuba siyamvumela. (Roma 8:38, 39) Nakuba abanye abakhonzi bakaYehova besifa, loo nto ayithethi kuthi uSathana woyisile. UYehova uza kubavusa. (Yohane 5:28, 29) Kodwa uSathana yena akanakamva. Emva kokuba eli hlabathi lingendawo litshatyalalisiwe, uza kuphoswa enzonzobileni iminyaka eyi-1 000. (ISityhilelo 20:1-3) Ekupheleni kolawulo lukaKristu lweminyaka eliwaka, uSathana uza ‘kukhululwa entolongweni’ aze azame ukulahlekisa abantu abafezekileyo okokugqibela. Emva koko, uza kutshatyalaliswa. (ISityhilelo 20:7-10) Nangona uMtyholi engenalo ikamva, wena unalo! Qhubeka usilwa noSathana yaye womeleze ukholo lwakho. Unako ukumoyisa uSathana!