1, 2. (a) Hlobo luni lwezinkinga abaningi ababhekana nazo namuhla futhi iba yini imiphumela? (b) Iliphi ithemba eliqinisekisiwe esilithola ku-Isaya 41:10, 13?

UDADE oyiphayona elivamile futhi oshade nomdala uthi, “Ngisho noma nginesimiso esihlelekile esingokomoya, ngiye ngahlushwa ukukhathazeka iminyaka eminingi. Kungincisha ubuthongo, kungenza ngigule, kwenza ngiphathe kabi abanye futhi ngezinye izikhathi kungenza ngiphelelwe ithemba.”

² Wake wazizwa yini ngendlela efanayo? Ngokudabukisayo, ukuphila ezweni likaSathane elonakele kuyasicindezela, okubangela ukuba sikhathazeke futhi siphelelwe amandla. Lokho kungafana nehange elibambe isikebhe, okubangela ukuba singakwazi ukuya phambili. (IzAga 12:25) Yini engabangela ukuba uzizwe ngaleyo ndlela? Mhlawumbe uzama ukubhekana nobuhlungu bokushonelwa umuntu omthandayo, ukubhekana nokugula, ukunakekela umndeni wakho kulezi zikhathi ezinzima zokuwohloka komnotho noma kungenzeka ubhekene nokuphikiswa. Ukucindezeleka ngokomzwelo okubangelwa yikho konke lokhu kungakwenza utubeke. Kungakuncisha ngisho nenjabulo. Kodwa ungaqiniseka ngokuthi uNkulunkulu ukulungele ukukusiza.​—Funda u-Isaya 41:10, 13.

3, 4. (a) Igama elithi, “izandla,” lisetshenziswe kanjani eBhayibhelini? (b) Yini engabangela ukuba izandla zethu ziyethe?

³ Ngokuvamile iBhayibheli lisebenzisa amalunga omzimba womuntu ukuze lichaze izici noma izenzo ezihlukahlukene.  Ngokwesibonelo, izandla kukhulunywa ngazo izikhathi eziningi. Ukuqinisa izandla kudlulisela umqondo wokukhuthaza, ukuqinisa nokushukumisela esenzweni. (1 Sam. 23:16; Ezra 1:6) Kungasho ukuba nombono omuhle nethemba ngekusasa.

⁴ Ukuvumela izandla ezingokomfanekiso ziyethe, ngezinye izikhathi kuye kwasetshenziselwa ukuchaza umuntu odikibele, ophelelwe amandla noma ithemba. (2 IziKr. 15:7; Heb. 12:12) Kuvamile ukuba umuntu ozizwa ngaleyo ndlela aphelelwe ithemba. Uma ubhekene nezimo ezikwenza ucindezeleke noma ezikuqeda amandla, zikulimaze ngokomzwelo noma ngokomoya, ungasithola kuphi isibindi esidingekayo? Ungasithola kanjani isikhuthazo futhi uqiniswe ukuze ukhuthazele futhi ujabule?

5. (a) Yini esingayenza lapho kuphakama izinkinga, kodwa yini okufanele sizikhumbuze yona? (b) Yini esizoxoxa ngayo?

⁵ Funda uZefaniya 3:16, 17. Kunokuba sivumele ukwesaba nokudumazeka—okufana nokuvumela izandla zethu ziyethe—uBaba wethu osikhathalelayo uJehova usicela ukuba ‘siphonse zonke izinkathazo zethu phezu kwakhe.’ (1 Pet. 5:7) Singacabanga ngamazwi uNkulunkulu awatshela ama-Israyeli athi, isandla sakhe esinamandla “asizange sibe sifushane kangangokuba singakwazi ukusindisa” izinceku zakhe eziqotho. (Isaya 59:1) Sizoxoxa ngezibonelo ezintathu zeBhayibheli eziphawulekayo ezibonisa isifiso namandla kaJehova okuqinisa abantu bakhe ukuba benze intando yakhe naphezu kobunzima obukhulu. Hlola indlela lezi zibonelo ezingakuqinisa ngayo.

6, 7. Yiziphi izifundo ezibalulekile esingazifunda ekunqobeni kwama-Israyeli ama-Amaleki?

⁶ Ngemva nje kokuba ama-Israyeli ekhululwe ngokuyisimangaliso ebugqilini eGibhithe, ama-Amaleki awahlasela. Elandela isiqondiso sikaMose, ngesibindi uJoshuwa wahola ama-Israyeli njengoba eya empini. Ngaleso sikhathi, uMose wathatha u-Aroni noHure baya egqumeni eliseduze ababengakwazi ukubona kulo impi. Ingabe lawo madoda amathathu ayebalekela impi ngenxa yokwesaba? Lutho neze!

⁷ UMose wasebenzisa uhlelo olwabasiza bayinqoba leyo mpi. UMose wagcina izandla zakhe nenduku kaNkulunkulu weqiniso kuphakeme kubheke ezulwini. Uma uMose ayeqhubeka enza kanjalo, uJehova wayeqinisa izandla zama-Israyeli ukuba alwe ngokuphumelelayo nama-Amaleki. Nokho, lapho izandla zikaMose zikhathala futhi ziqala ukuyetha, ama-Amaleki ayeqala ukunqoba. Ngaphandle kokunqikaza, u-Aroni noHure “bathatha itshe balibeka ngaphansi kwakhe, [uMose] wahlala phezu kwalo. U-Aroni noHure basekela izandla zakhe, omunye ekulolu hlangothi omunye ekuloluya hlangothi, izandla zakhe zama zangantengantenga laze lashona ilanga.” Yebo, isandla sikaNkulunkulu esinamandla, sabangela ukuba ama-Israyeli ayinqobe impi.—Eks. 17:8-13.

8. (a) Wasabela kanjani u-Asa ngesikhathi abaseTopiya besongela uJuda? (b) Singayilingisa kanjani indlela u-Asa ancika ngayo kuNkulunkulu?

⁸ UJehova wabonisa ukuthi isandla sakhe asizange sibe sifushane nasezinsukwini zeNkosi u-Asa. Ziningi izimpi okukhulunywa ngazo eBhayibhelini. Kodwa owayenebutho elikhulu kakhulu, uZera, umTopiya. Wayenamasosha angu-1 000 000 ayesemnkantsh’ubomvu. Ibutho laseTopiya laliliphinda kabili ibutho lika-Asa. Ungacabanga nje ukuthi kwakungaba lula kanjani ngo-Asa ukuba akhathazeke, esabe futhi avumele izandla zakhe ziyethe. Kunalokho, ngokushesha u-Asa wacela usizo kuJehova. Ngokombono womuntu kwakubonakala  kungenakwenzeka ukuba amaTopiya anqotshwe, “kodwa kuNkulunkulu zonke izinto zingenzeka.” (Math. 19:26) UNkulunkulu wabonisa amandla akhe amakhulu futhi “wawahlula amaTopiya phambi kuka-Asa,” ngoba “inhliziyo ka-Asa yayiphelele kuJehova zonke izinsuku zakhe.”​—2 IziKr. 14:8-13; 1 AmaKh. 15:14.

9. (a) Yini engakwazanga ukuvimba uNehemiya ekwakheni kabusha izindonga zaseJerusalema? (b) UNkulunkulu wawuphendula kanjani umthandazo kaNehemiya?

⁹ Cabanga ngendlela okumelwe ukuba uNehemiya wazizwa ngayo lapho eya eJerusalema. Umuzi wawungenasivikelo futhi amaJuda ayedikibele kakhulu. Ukusongelwa ezinye izizwe kwabangela ukuba izandla zamaJuda ziyethe futhi ayeke ukwakha kabusha izindonga zaseJerusalema. Ingabe uNehemiya wasivumela leso simo ukuba simdikibalise senze izandla zakhe ziyethe? Cha! NjengoMose, u-Asa, nezinye izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile, uNehemiya wayesenomkhuba kakade wokuthembela kuJehova ngomthandazo. Wenza okufanayo nakulokhu. Njengoba amaJuda ayebhekene nezingqinamba ezazingawaqeda amandla, uJehova wasiphendula isicelo esiqotho sikaNehemiya. UNkulunkulu wasebenzisa ‘amandla akhe amakhulu’ ‘nesandla sakhe esinamandla’ ukuze aqinise izandla zamaJuda ezaziyetha. (Funda uNehemiya 1:10; 2:17-20; 6:9.) Uyakholelwa yini ukuthi uJehova usebenzisa ‘amandla akhe amakhulu’ ‘nesandla sakhe esinamandla’ ukuze aqinise izinceku zakhe namuhla?

10, 11. (a) USathane uzama ngaziphi izindlela ukwenza izandla zethu ziyethe? (b) Yini uJehova ayisebenzisayo ukuze asiqinise futhi asiphe amandla? (c) Uzuze kanjani emfundweni nasekuqeqeshweni kwaphezulu?

¹⁰ Singaqiniseka ukuthi uDeveli akasoze avumela izandla zakhe ziyethe emizamweni yakhe yokusiyekisa imisebenzi yethu yobuKristu. Usebenzisa amanga nokwesabisa okuvela kohulumeni, abaholi benkolo nezihlubuki. Uyini umgomo wakhe? Uwukubangela ukuba izandla zethu ziyethe emsebenzini wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. Nokho, uJehova uyakwazi futhi uzimisele ukusinikeza amandla ngomoya wakhe ongcwele. (1 IziKr. 29:12) Kubalulekile ukuba sisebenzise umoya ongcwele ukuze sibhekane nezinselele ezivela kuSathane nasesimisweni sakhe sezinto esonakele. (IHu. 18:39; 1 Kor. 10:13) Singabonisa ukwazisa ngokuthi sineZwi likaNkulunkulu, elalotshwa ngosizo lomoya ongcwele. Cabanga nangokudla okungokomoya okusekelwe eBhayibhelini esikuthola zinyanga zonke. Amazwi kaZakariya 8:9, 13 (funda) ashiwo ngesikhathi kwakhiwa kabusha ithempeli eJerusalema futhi lawo mazwi asasebenza nakithi.

¹¹ Siphinde siqiniswe imfundo yaphezulu esiyithola emihlanganweni yethu yobuKristu, eyesigodi, eyesifunda nasezikoleni zethu zenkonzo. Lokho kuqeqeshwa kungasikhuthaza ukuba sizibekele imigomo engokomoya futhi sikwazi ukufeza imithwalo yethu yobuKristu. (IHu. 119:32) Ingabe ufuna ngokulangazela ukuthola amandla kulolu hlobo lwemfundo?

12. Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sihlale siqinile ngokomoya?

¹² UJehova wasiza ama-Israyeli ukuba anqobe ama-Amaleki nabaseTopiya futhi wanikeza uNehemiya nayekanye nabo amandla okuqedela umsebenzi wokwakha kabusha. Ngendlela efanayo, nathi uNkulunkulu uzosinika amandla okumelana ngokuqinile nokuphikiswa, ukunganakwa nokukhathazeka ukuze sikwazi ukuqhubeka nomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. (1 Pet. 5:10) Asilindele ukuba uJehova asenzele izimangaliso. Kunalokho, kufanele sidlale eyethu indima. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukufunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu nsuku  zonke, ukulungiselela imihlangano nokuya kuyo masonto onke, ukondla izingqondo nezinhliziyo zethu ngesifundo somuntu siqu nokukhulekela komkhaya nangokuncika njalo kuJehova ngomthandazo. Masingalokothi sivumele eminye imigomo nemisebenzi kuphazamise umzila uJehova awusebenzisayo ukuze asiqinise futhi asikhuthaze. Uma unomuzwa wokuthi izandla zakho ziyethile kwesinye salezi zici, cela usizo lukaNkulunkulu. Umoya wakhe ‘uyosebenza ngaphakathi kini, ngentando yakhe, ukuze nithande futhi nenze.’ (Fil. 2:13) Nokho, yini ongayenza ukuze uqinise izandla zabanye?

13, 14. (a) Umzalwane othile waqiniswa kanjani ngemva kokushonelwa umkakhe? (b) Singabaqinisa ngaziphi izindlela abanye?

¹³ UJehova usinika abazalwane nodade abasikhathalelayo emhlabeni wonke abangasikhuthaza. Khumbula ukuthi umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Qondisani izandla eziyethile namadolo abuthakathaka, futhi niqhubeke nenzela izinyawo zenu izindlela eziqondileyo.” (Heb. 12:12, 13) Abaningi ekhulwini lokuqala bathola ukuqiniswa okungokomoya okunjalo. Kunjalo nanamuhla. Ngemva kokushonelwa umkakhe nokubhekana nezinye izimo ezibuhlungu, umzalwane othile wathi: “Ngafunda ukuthi asikwazi ukuzikhethela uvivinyo, isikhathi olufika ngaso nokuthi lufika kangaki. Umthandazo nesifundo somuntu siqu kuye kwaba yisivikelo kimi. Ukusekelwa engikuthola kubafowethu nodadewethu abangokomoya kuye kwangiduduza kakhulu. Ngiye ngabona ukubaluleka kokwakha ubuhlobo obuseduze noJehova ngaphambi kokuba kufike izimo ezinzima.”

¹⁴ U-Aroni noHure bazisekela ngokoqobo izandla zikaMose phakathi nempi. Nathi singafuna izindlela ezingokoqobo esingasekela futhi esingasiza ngazo abanye. Obani esingabasiza? Yilabo abahlushwa izinkinga zokukhula, abanezinkinga zempilo, abaphikiswa imindeni yabo, abanomzwangedwa noma abashonelwe abathandekayo. Singaqinisa nabasebasha abacindezelwa ukuba benze okubi noma ukuba bafune ukuphumelela kulesi simiso sezinto, kungaba sezifundweni zabo, kwezezimali noma emsebenzini. (1 Thes. 3:1-3; 5:11, 14) Funa izindlela ongabonisa ngazo isithakazelo esiqotho kwabanye eHholo loMbuso, enkonzweni, lapho nijabulela isidlo ndawonye noma lapho nixoxa ngocingo.

15. Amazwi akhuthazayo angaba namuphi umthelela kumaKristu esikanye nawo?

¹⁵ Ngemva kokunqoba okubabazekayo kuka-Asa, umprofethi u-Azariya wamkhuthaza kanye nabantu bakhe ngala mazwi: “Nina, yibani nesibindi futhi ningavumeli izandla zenu ziyethe, ngoba ukhona umvuzo womsebenzi wenu.” (2 IziKr. 15:7) Lokhu kwashukumisa u-Asa ukuba enze izinguquko eziningi ukuze abuyisele ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile. Ngendlela efanayo, amazwi akho akhuthazayo angabathinta ngokujulile abanye. Ungabasiza bakhonze uJehova ngokugcwele. (IzAga 15:23) Emihlanganweni yebandla, ungalubukeli phansi usizo ongalunikeza abanye ngokuphakamisa isandla sakho unikeze izimpendulo ezakhayo.

16. NjengoNehemiya, abadala bangaziqinisa kanjani izandla zalabo abasebandleni? Nikeza izibonela zendlela okholwa nabo abakusize ngazo ngokuqondile.

¹⁶ Ngosizo lukaJehova, uNehemiya nalabo ayenabo baqinisa izandla zabo ukuze basebenze. Yingakho bakwazi ukuqeda izindonga zaseJerusalema ngezinsuku ezingu-52 nje kuphela! (Neh. 2:18; 6:15, 16) UNehemiya akagcinanga nje ngokukhipha iziqondiso. Kodwa naye wahlanganyela ngokoqobo ekwakhiweni kabusha kwezindonga zaseJerusalema. (Neh. 5:16) Ngokufanayo, abadala abaningi abanothando  baye balingisa uNehemiya ngokusiza ekwakhiweni kwezakhiwo ezingokwasezulwini noma ngokuhlanza nangokunakekela iHholo labo loMbuso. Ngokusebenza nabamemezeli enkonzweni yasensimini nangokwenza ukuhambela kokwalusa, baqinisa izandla eziyethile zalabo abakhathazekile.​—Funda u-Isaya 35:3, 4.

17, 18. Yini esingaqiniseka ngayo lapho sibhekene nezinkinga noma ukukhathazeka?

¹⁷ Ukusebenzelana nabafowethu nodadewethu ngokuseduze kuthuthukisa ubunye. Kuphinde kwakhe ubungane obuhlala njalo futhi kusenza siqiniseke nakakhulu ngezibusiso ezizayo ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Njengoba siqinisa izandla zabanye, sibasiza ukuba balwe nezimo eziqeda amandla futhi balondoloze umbono omuhle nethemba ngekusasa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukusiza abanye kusisiza sihlale sigxilile ngokomoya futhi kwenza lokho uNkulunkulu asithembise kona kube ngokoqobo kithi. Yebo, kuqinisa nezandla zethu.

¹⁸ Ukubona indlela uJehova ngezikhathi ezihlukahlukene aye wasekela futhi wavikela ngayo izinceku ezithembekile endulo, kufanele kuqinise ukholo lwethu nendlela esimethemba ngayo namuhla. Ngakho, lapho ubhekene nezingcindezi nezinkinga, “kwangathi izandla zakho zingeyethe”! Kunalokho, thandaza kuJehova, uvumele isandla sakhe esinamandla sikuqinise futhi sikuholele ezibusisweni zoMbuso.—IHu. 73:23, 24.