1, 2. Obani abajatshuliswa ukubona ubhapathizo?

UMA usunamashumi eminyaka ukhonza uJehova, cishe usuzwe izinkulumo zobhapathizo eziningi emihlanganweni yethu emincane nemikhulu. Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi usuzizwe kaningi kangakanani, ngokungangabazeki uyathinteka isikhathi ngasinye lapho ubona abahlezi ezihlalweni ezingaphambili enkundleni besukuma, belungela ukubhapathizwa. Ngaleso sikhathi, kuba nelikhulu isasasa ezilalelini, kudume ihlombe elisuka enhliziyweni. Kungenzeka amehlo akho ahlengezele izinyembezi njengoba ubuka elinye iqembu labantu abayigugu abaye bathatha uhlangothi lukaJehova. Yeka injabulo esiba nayo ngalezi zikhathi!

² Nakuba singase sibone ubhapathizo izikhathi ezimbalwa ngonyaka endaweni yakithi, izingelosi zona zinelungelo lokulubona izikhathi eziningi kakhulu. Ungayicabanga ‘injabulo’ eba khona “ezulwini” njengoba izingelosi zibona izinkulungwane zabantu emhlabeni wonke zenezelwa engxenyeni ebonakalayo yenhlangano kaJehova isonto ngalinye? (Luka 15:7, 10) Ngokungangabazeki zivukwa amadlingozi lapho zibona lokhu kwanda!—Hagayi 2:7.

3. Kungani uSathane ‘ehambahamba njengengonyama ebhongayo,’ futhi yini afuna ukuyenza?

³ Ngokuphambene nalokhu, kunezidalwa zomoya okuthi lapho zibona ubhapathizo, kuthi aziqhume intukuthelo.  USathane namademoni akhe bathukuthela bagan’ unwabu lapho bebona izinkulungwane zifulathela leli zwe elonakele. Phela, uSathane wayezishaye isifuba wathi abekho abantu abayokhonza uJehova ngoba bemthanda ngempela nokuthi akekho owayezohlala ethembekile lapho evivinywa kanzima. (Jobe 2:4, 5) Njalo lapho othile eshukumiseleka ukuba azinikezele kuJehova, uSathane ubonakaliswa enamanga. Kunjengokungathi umukulwa ngezimpama eziyizinkulungwane isonto ngalinye unyaka wonke. Shono nje ‘ehambahamba njengengonyama ebhongayo, efuna engamshwabadela’! (1 Petru 5:8) Le “ngonyama” ifuna ukusishwabadela ngokomoya, isenze sone ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu noma sibuqede nokubuqeda.—IHubo 7:1, 2; 2 Thimothewu 3:12.

4, 5. (a) UJehova uye walenza lalinganiselwa ngaziphi izindlela ezimbili ezibalulekile ithonya likaSathane? (b) Yini umKristu weqiniso angaqiniseka ngayo?

 ⁴ Nakuba sibhekene nesitha esinonya, asinaso isizathu sokugajwa ukwesaba. Ngani? Ngoba uJehova uwenze alinganiselwa amandla ale “ngonyama ebhongayo” ngezindlela ezimbili ezibalulekile. Yiziphi? Eyokuqala, uJehova uye wabikezela ukuthi “isixuku esikhulu” samaKristu eqiniso siyosinda ‘osizini olukhulu’ oluzayo. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 14) Iziprofetho zikaNkulunkulu azilokothi zigeje. Ngakho-ke, ngisho noSathane kumelwe ukuba uyazi ukuthi ngeke ababambe bonke abantu bakaNkulunkulu.

⁵ Indlela yesibili alinganiselwe ngayo ibonakala eqinisweni eliyisisekelo elashiwo enye yezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile zasendulo. Umprofethi u-Azariya wathi eNkosini u-Asa: “UJehova unani kuphela uma nina niba naye.” (2 IziKronike 15:2; 1 Korinte 10:13) Izibonelo eziningi ezilotshiwe zibonisa ukuthi endulo, uSathane wayehluleka njalo ukushwabadela izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezazihlala ziseduze naye. (Hebheru 11:4-40) Namuhla, umKristu ohlala eseduze noNkulunkulu uyokwazi ukumelana noDeveli aze ngisho amnqobe. Empeleni, iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyasiqinisekisa: “Melanani noDeveli khona-ke uyonibalekela.”—Jakobe 4:7.

6. USathane ulwa kanjani namaKristu?

⁶ USathane ngeke ayinqobe le mpi, kodwa angasenza izisulu zakhe njengabantu ngabanye uma siyeka ukuqapha. USathane uyazi ukuthi angasishwabadela uma engase axegise isibopho sethu kuJehova. USathane uzama ukukwenza kanjani lokhu? Ngokusihlasela ngamandla, njengabantu ngabanye, nangobuqili. Ake sicabangele ngayinye yalezi zindlela eziyinhloko zikaSathane.

7. Kungani uSathane ebahlasela ngamandla abantu bakaJehova?

⁷ Ukuhlasela ngamandla. Umphostoli uJohane wathi: “Lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Johane 5:19) La mazwi anesixwayiso kuwo wonke amaKristu eqiniso. Ngenxa yokuthi uSathane usesishwabadele kakade sonke isintu  esingamhloniphi uNkulunkulu, manje usengakwazi ukugxila kulabo angakababambi futhi abahlasele ngamandla—abantu bakaJehova. (Mika 4:1; Johane 15:19; IsAmbulo 12:12, 17) Uthukuthele uthelwa ngamanzi ngoba uyazi ukuthi isikhathi sakhe sifushane. Ngakho usehlasela ngamandla. Namuhla, sibhekene nokuhlasela kwakhe kokugcina kobulwane nokubhubhisayo. Ngenxa yalokho, manje kunanini ngaphambili, kudingeka ‘siqonde izikhathi ukuze sazi ukuthi yini okufanele siyenze.’—1 IziKronike 12:32.

8. Usho ukuthini umphostoli uPawulu lapho ethi “sibambene” nemimoya emibi?

⁸ Ukulwa nomuntu ngamunye. Umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa amaKristu ayekanye nawo: “Sibambene . . . nebandla lomoya ababi ezindaweni zasezulwini.” (Efesu 6:12) Kungani uPawulu asebenzisa igama elithi ‘ukubambana’? Kungoba lidlulisela umqondo wokulwa mahlanze. Ngakho, ngokusebenzisa leli gama, uPawulu wagcizelela ukuthi ngamunye wethu ulwa nemimoya emibi. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sihlala ezweni lapho ukukholelwa emimoyeni emibi kuvamile noma cha, akufanele nanini sikhohlwe ukuthi lapho sizinikezela kuJehova, kwafana nokuthi singena enkundleni yokubambana ngezikhwepha. Okungenani kusukela ngesikhathi ezinikezela kuqhubeke, umKristu ngamunye ungena empini. Yingakho uPawulu abona isidingo sokukhuthaza amaKristu ase-Efesu kathathu ukuba ‘ame eqinile’!—Efesu 6:11, 13, 14.

9. (a) Kungani uSathane namademoni besebenzisa “amaqhinga” ahlukahlukene? (b) Kungani uSathane ezama ukonakalisa ukucabanga kwethu, futhi singamelana kanjani nemizamo yakhe? (Bheka  ibhokisi emakhasini 192-3.) (c) Yiliphi iqhinga esizofunda ngalo manje?

⁹ Amaqhinga. UPawulu ukhuthaza amaKristu ukuba amelane ngokuqinile “namaqhinga” kaSathane. (Efesu 6:11) Phawula ukuthi uPawulu wasebenzisa ubuningi baleli gama. Imimoya emibi ayisebenzisi nje iqhinga elilodwa kodwa amaningi—futhi ngesizathu esizwakalayo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amanye amakholwa ayeke ama aqina lapho ebhekene novivinyo oluthile, aye awa lapho esebhekene nolunye. Ngakho,  uDeveli namademoni bayakubhekisisa esikwenzayo ukuze bahlonze lapho sibuthaka khona. Babe sebesizakala nganoma ibuphi ubuthaka obungokomoya esingase sibe nabo. Nokho, ngokujabulisayo, eziningi zezindlela zikaDeveli siyazazi ngoba zembuliwe eBhayibhelini. (2 Korinte 2:11) Ngaphambili kule ncwadi, sixoxe ngamaqhinga afana nehuha lokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, abangane ababi nokuziphatha okubi kobulili. Manje ake sifunde ngelinye futhi iqhinga likaSathane—ukusebenzelana nemimoya.

10. (a) Kuyini ukusebenzelana nemimoya? (b) UJehova ukubheka kanjani ukusebenzelana nemimoya, futhi ukubheka kanjani wena?

¹⁰ Ukusebenzelana nemimoya, noma ubudemoni, kwenza umuntu axhumane ngokuqondile nemimoya emibi. Ukubhula, ubuthakathi, ukuphonsa iziphonso, nokubuza kwabafileyo kungezinye zezinhlobo zokusebenzelana nemimoya. Njengoba sonke sazi, uJehova ubheka ukusebenzelana nemimoya ‘njengento enengekayo.’ (Duteronomi 18:10-12; IsAmbulo 21:8) Ngenxa yokuthi nathi kumelwe ‘senyanye okubi,’ kuyinto engacabangeki ukuthi singake sifune ukuzihlanganisa nemimoya emibi. (Roma 12:9) Yeka isenzo esenyanyekayo sokungathembeki okungaba yiso kuBaba wethu wasezulwini, uJehova!

11. Kungani kungaba ukunqoba okukhulu ngoSathane uma engasenza siphendukele ekusebenzelaneni nemimoya? Fanekisa.

¹¹ Ngenxa yokuthi kwakugcobhoza nje ekusebenzelaneni nemimoya kuwukungathembeki okukhulu kuJehova, uSathane uzimisele ukwenza abanye bethu bahileleke kukho. Isikhathi ngasinye lapho ephumelela ukwenza umKristu aphendukele ebudemonini, uSathane usuke enqobile. Ngani? Cabanga ngalokhu: Uma isosha lingase linxenxwe ukuba lihlamuke futhi likhaphele ibutho lalo bese lizihlanganisa nebutho lesitha, umkhuzi webutho lesitha angajabula. Angase akhangise ngaleli mbuka njengokungathi unqobile ukuze adelele owayengumkhuzi webutho laleli sosha. Ngokufanayo,  uma umKristu ephendukela ekusebenzelaneni nemimoya, uyobe ehlubuka uJehova ngokuzithandela nangamabomu, ezibeka ngokuqondile ngaphansi kokulawulwa uSathane. Cabanga ukuthi kuyomjabulisa kangakanani uSathane ukukhangisa ngalelo mbuka njengendondo yempi! Ukhona kithi ongathanda ukwenza uDeveli anqobe ngaleyo ndlela? Phinde! Asiwona amambuka thina.

12. USathane usebenzisa yiphi indlela ukuze athonye indlela esibheka ngayo ukusebenzelana nemimoya?

¹² Uma nje sikwenyanya ukusebenzelana nemimoya, uSathane ngeke aphumelele ukukusebenzisa kithina. Ngakho, uyaqaphela ukuthi kumelwe ashintshe ukucabanga kwethu. Kanjani? Ufuna izindlela zokudida amaKristu kuze kube yilapho amanye esecabanga ukuthi “okuhle kubi nokubi kuhle.” (Isaya 5:20) Ukuze enze lokhu, uvame ukusebenzisa enye yezindlela zakhe ezimsebenzela kakhulu—ubuza imibuzo ukuze adale ukungabaza.

13. USathane uye wayisebenzisa kanjani indlela yokubuza imibuzo ukuze adale ukungabaza?

¹³ Phawula indlela uSathane ákwenza ngayo lokhu esikhathini esidlule. E-Edene wabuza u-Eva: “Ingabe uNkulunkulu ushilo ngempela ukuthi akumelwe nidle kuyo yonke imithi yensimu?” Osukwini lukaJobe, emhlanganweni wezingelosi ezulwini, uSathane wabuza lo mbuzo: “Ingabe uJobe umesabé ngeze yini uNkulunkulu?” Futhi ekuqaleni kwenkonzo kaJesu yasemhlabeni, uSathane waphonsela uKristu inselele, wathi: “Uma uyindodana kaNkulunkulu, tshela la matshe ukuba abe yizinkwa.” Cabanga nje—endabeni kaJesu, uSathane wabhuqa uJehova ngamazwi akhe siqu ayewasho emasontweni ayisithupha ngaphambili: “Lo yiNdodana yami ethandekayo, engiyamukele”!—Genesise 3:1; Jobe 1:9; Mathewu 3:17; 4:3.

14. (a) USathane ulisebenzisa kanjani icebo lokudala ukungaqiniseki mayelana nokusebenzelana nemimoya? (b) Yini manje esizoyicabangela?

¹⁴ Namuhla, uDeveli usasebenzisa amacebo afanayo ukuze  adale ukungaqiniseki mayelana nobubi bokusebenzelana nemimoya. Ngeshwa, uye waphumelela ekubangeleni ukungabaza ezingqondweni zamanye amakholwa. Aye aqala ukungabaza ukuthi zimbi kangako yini izinhlobo ezithile zokusebenzelana nemimoya. Empeleni, asuke ezibuza, ‘Ingabe kunjalo ngempela?’ (2 Korinte 11:3) Singabasiza kanjani abanjalo ukuba balungise ukucabanga kwabo? Singaqikelela kanjani ukuthi amacebo kaSathane awasithonyi? Ukuze siphendule, ake sicabangele izici ezimbili zokuphila uSathane aye wazonakalisa ngobuqili ngokusebenzelana nemimoya. Ezokuzijabulisa nokunakekela impilo.

15. (a) Abaningi emazweni aseNtshonalanga bakubheka kanjani ukusebenzelana nemimoya? (b) Umbono wezwe ngokusebenzelana nemimoya uwathonye kanjani amanye amaKristu?

¹⁵ Ukulumba, ubuthakathi kanye nezinye izinhlobo zokusebenzelana nemimoya kuya ngokuya kubhekwa njengezinto ezingasho lutho, ikakhulukazi emazweni aseNtshonalanga. Amabhayisikobho, izincwadi, izinhlelo ze-TV, nemidlalo yama-computer iya ngokuya iveza izenzo zobudemoni njengezijabulisayo, ezihlakaniphile nezingenangozi. Amanye amabhayisikobho nezincwadi ezigxile ekulumbeni kuthandwa kakhulu kangangokuba abalandeli bako sebeye bakha amaqembu abalandeli. Ngokusobala, amademoni aye aphumelela ukululaza izingozi zokulumba. Ingabe lo mkhuba wokubheka ukusebenzelana nemimoya njengento engasho lutho uwathonyile namaKristu? Ukucabanga kwamanye kuye kwathonyeka. Ngayiphi indlela? Nasi isibonelo, ngemva kokubukela ibhayisikobho ekhuluma ngokulumba, omunye umKristu wathi, “Ngiyibukile le bhayisikobho, kodwa angizange ngisebenzelane nemimoya.” Kungani ukucabanga okunjalo kuyingozi?

16. Kungani kuyingozi ukukhetha ezokuzijabulisa ezigxile ezenzweni zokulumba?

¹⁶ Nakuba ukhona umehluko phakathi kokusebenzelana nemimoya nokukubukela, ngokuqinisekile lokhu akusho ukuthi  ukubukela izenzo zokulumba akuyona ingozi. Kungani? Cabanga ngalokhu: IZwi likaNkulunkulu libonisa ukuthi uSathane namademoni akhe abakwazi ukufunda imicabango yethu. * Ngakho, njengoba kushiwo ngaphambili, ukuze ithole ukuthi sicabangani futhi ihlonze noma yibuphi ubuthaka obungokomoya esinabo, imimoya emibi kufanele ibhekisise izenzo zethu—okuhlanganisa nohlobo lokuzijabulisa esikukhethayo. Uma ukuziphatha komKristu kubonisa ukuthi ujatshuliswa amabhayisikobho noma izincwadi ezigxile kubantu abanemimoya, emilingweni, ezenzweni zabantu abanamademoni, noma ezinye izinto zobudemoni ezifana nalezi, usuke etshela amademoni okuthile. Eqinisweni, usuke ewatshela ukuthi ubuthaka kuphi! Amademoni angase asabele ngokuba alwe ngamandla nalowo mKristu esebenzisa ubuthakathaka abembulile kuze kube yilapho emqumba phansi. Empeleni, abanye abasithakazelo sabo ezintweni zemimoya savuswa ezokuzijabulisa eziqokomisa ukulumba, baye bagcina sebesebenzelana ngempela nemimoya.—Galathiya 6:7.

17. USathane angase asebenzise liphi iqhinga ukuze asizakale ngabagulayo?

¹⁷ USathane akasizakali nje kuphela ngesifiso sethu sokuzijabulisa kodwa nangesidingo esinaso sokunakekela impilo. Kanjani? UmKristu onempilo ebuthaka naphezu kwemizamo eminingi yokuthola ikhambi, angase aphelelwe ithemba. (Marku 5:25, 26) Lokhu kunganikeza uSathane namademoni ithuba elikahle lokusizakala ngaye. Bazi kahle ukuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu lixwayisa ngokufuna ‘usizo lwalabo abakwenza umkhuba okulimazayo.’ (Isaya 31:2) Ukuze abangele umKristu ukuba enze okuphambene nalesi sixwayiso, amademoni angase alinge ogulayo ukuba asale esekhalela ezindleleni zokwelapha noma ezinqubweni ezihilela ukusebenzisa “amandla angaqondakali,” noma ukusebenzelana nemimoya —okuyinto elimaza kakhulu. Uma leli qhinga lamademoni liphumelela, lingase lintengantengise ubuhlobo bogulayo noNkulunkulu. Ngayiphi indlela?

18. Hlobo luni lwezinqubo umKristu ayozenqaba, futhi ngani?

¹⁸ UJehova waxwayisa ama-Israyeli ayesephendukele ekusebenziseni “amandla angaqondakali”: “Lapho nelula izintende zezandla zenu, ngiyanifihlela amehlo ami. Ngisho noma nenza imithandazo eminingi, angilalele.” (Isaya 1:13, 15) Yebo, ngaso sonke isikhathi sifuna ukugwema noma yini engase ithiye imikhuleko yethu futhi inciphise nokusekelwa uJehova—ikakhulukazi lapho sigula. (IHubo 41:3) Ngakho, uma kunezinkomba zokuthi inqubo ethile yokuhlonza isifo noma yokwelapha ingase ibe neminonjana yokusebenzelana nemimoya, umKristu weqiniso kufanele ayenqabe. * (Mathewu 6:13) Ngaleyo ndlela, angaqiniseka ukuthi uyohlala esekelwa uJehova.—Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Ingabe Kuwukusebenzisa Imimoya Ngempela?” ekhasini 194.

19. (a) Yini uDeveli aye wakhohlisa abantu abaningi ukuba bayikholelwe ngamandla akhe? (b) Yiziphi izindaba amaKristu eqiniso okufanele azigweme?

¹⁹ Nakuba abantu abaningi emazweni aseNtshonalanga beyithatha kalula ingozi yethonya likaSathane, kwezinye  izingxenye zomhlaba kwenzeka okuphambene. Kulezo zindawo uDeveli uye wakhohlisa abaningi ukuba bakholelwe ukuthi unamandla amakhulu kunanawo ngempela. Abantu abaningi bathi bedla, besebenza, noma belele balokhu benovalo lwemimoya emibi. Izindaba zezenzo zamandla zamademoni zithe chithí saka. Izindaba ezinjalo zivame ukuxoxwa ngelikhulu isasasa; abantu bazikhonzile. Kufanele yini sisakaze izindaba ezinjalo? Cha, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu weqiniso ziyakugwema ukwenza kanjalo ngenxa yezizathu ezimbili ezibalulekile.

20. Umuntu angayisakaza kanjani inkulumo-ze kaSathane mhlawumbe engahlosile?

²⁰ Esokuqala, ngokusakaza izindaba zokwenziwe amademoni, umuntu usuke ethuthukisa izithakazelo zikaSathane. Kanjani? IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyakuqinisekisa ukuthi uSathane uyakwazi ukwenza imisebenzi yamandla, kodwa liphinde lixwayise nangokuthi usebenzisa ‘izibonakaliso zamanga nenkohliso.’  (2 Thesalonika 2:9, 10) Njengoba uSathane engumkhohlisi omkhulu, uyazi ukuthi angazithonya kanjani izingqondo zabantu abathambekele ekusebenziseni imimoya nokuthi angabenza kanjani bakholwe izinto ezingelona iqiniso. Abanjalo bangase bakholelwe ukuthi bézwa futhi babona izinto ezithile, futhi bangase bazixoxe njengeziyiqiniso lezo zinto. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, izindaba zabo ziqala ukuba nehaba njengoba zilokhu zixoxelwa abanye. Uma umKristu engasakaza izindaba ezinjalo, empeleni uyobe wenza intando kaDeveli—‘uyise wamanga.’ Uyobe ubhebhethekisa inkulumo-ze kaSathane.—Johane 8:44; 2 Thimothewu 2:16.

21. Sifuna ukuba izingxoxo zethu zigxilephi?

²¹ Esesibili, ngisho noma umKristu ake abhekana nemimoya emibi ngaphambili, uyogwema ukulokhu ekitaza amanye amakholwa ngokuwaxoxela izindaba ezinjalo. Ngani? Siyalwa ukuba “Sigxilise amehlo ethu kuMmeli Oyinhloko noMphelelisi wokholo lwethu, uJesu.” (Hebheru 12:2) Yebo, kumelwe sigxilise ukunakekela kwethu kuKristu, hhayi kuSathane. Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi ngenkathi uJesu esemhlabeni, akazange akitaze abafundi bakhe ngokubaxoxela izindaba zemimoya emibi, nakuba ayengasho okuningi ngokuthi yini uSathane akwazi ukuyenza nangakwazi ukuyenza. Kunalokho, uJesu wagxila esigijimini soMbuso. Ngakho-ke, sifuna ukuba izingxoxo zethu zigxile ‘ezintweni ezinhle kakhulu zikaNkulunkulu,’ silingisa isibonelo sikaJesu nabaphostoli bakhe.—IzEnzo 2:11; Luka 8:1; Roma 1:11, 12.

22. Singaqhubeka kanjani senezela ‘enjabulweni yasezulwini’?

²² Yiqiniso, uSathane usebenzisa amaqhinga ahlukahlukene, ahlanganisa nokusebenzelana nemimoya, ukuze azame ukuqeda ubuhlobo bethu noJehova. Noma kunjalo, ngokwenyanya okubi sinamathele kokuhle, sincisha uDeveli ithuba lokunciphisa ukuzimisela kwethu ukwenqaba zonke izinhlobo zokusebenzelana nemimoya. (Efesu 4:27) Cabanga ukuthi iyoba nkulu kangakanani ‘injabulo ezulwini’ uma siqhubeka ‘simelana ngokuqinile namaqhinga kaDeveli’ kuze kube yilapho esengasekho!—Efesu 6:11.