1, 2. Yiziphi izinselele izikhonzi zikaJehova okumelwe zibhekana nazo?

KUSUKELA kumuntu wokuqala owayethembekile, u-Abela, kuze kube sosukwini lwethu, abakhulekeli abaqotho baye babhekana nezingqinamba. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela amaKristu angamaHebheru ukuthi “akhuthazelela umncintiswano omkhulu ngaphansi kwezinhlupheko,” njengoba ayefuna ukwamukelwa uJehova nokuthola isibusiso sakhe. (Heb. 10:32-34) UPawulu wafanisa izingqinamba amaKristu abhekana nazo nokuzikhandla komdlali odlala emncintiswaneni wamaGreki njengokugijima, ukuzwana amandla (wrestling) nesibhakela. (Heb. 12:1, 4) Namuhla, sisemcintiswaneni wokuphila futhi sibhekana nabaphikisi abafuna ukusiphazamisa, ukusikhuba, ukusiwisa, basephuce injabulo kanye nemivuzo yekusasa.

² Okokuqala, silwa kanzima ngokumelene noSathane kanye nezwe lakhe elonakele. (Efe. 6:12) Kubalulekile ukuba senqabe ukuthonywa “izinto ezimbelwe ngokuqinile” zaleli zwe. Lezi zinto zihlanganisa izimfundiso, amafilosofi, imikhuba elimazayo njengokuziphatha okubi, ukubhema kanye nokusebenzisa kabi utshwala nezidakamizwa. Kumelwe siqhubeke silwisana nobuthakathaka benyama kanye nokudikibala.—2 Kor. 10:3-6; Kol. 3:5-9.

3. UNkulunkulu usiqeqesha kanjani ukuze sikwazi ukulwa nezitha zethu?

 ³ Singakwazi yini ukunqoba lezi zitha ezinamandla kangaka? Yebo, kodwa kumelwe silwe. Ebhekisela esibonelweni somshayi-sibhakela wasendulo, uPawulu wathi: “Indlela engiqondisa ngayo amagalelo ami ingeyokuba ngingashayi umoya.” (1 Kor. 9:26) Njengoba umshayi-sibhakela evika izibhakela zembangi yakhe nathi kumelwe sizivikele ezitheni zethu. UJehova uyasiqeqesha futhi asisize njengoba silwa. EZwini lakhe usinikeza iziqondiso ezisindisa ukuphila. Uphinde asisize ngezincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini, imihlangano yobuKristu, emikhulu nemincane. Ingabe uyakusebenzisa lokho okufundayo? Uma wehluleka ukwenza kanjalo, kuyofana nokuthi ‘ushaya umoya,’ uyobe ungamelani ngokuphelele nesitha sakho.

4. Singakugwema kanjani ukunqotshwa okubi?

⁴ Izitha zethu zingasihlasela lapho singalindele futhi zisicindezele kakhulu lapho sidangele, ngakho kumelwe sihlale siqaphile. IBhayibheli liyasixwayisa: “Ungazivumeli ukuba unqotshwe okubi, kodwa qhubeka unqoba okubi ngokuhle.” (Roma 12:21) Isikhuthazo esithi singazivumeli ukuba ‘sinqotshwe okubi’ sibonisa ukuthi singakwazi ukunqoba okubi. Singakunqoba uma siqhubeka silwisana nakho. Ngokuphambene nalokho, uma siyeka ukuqapha noma ukulwa singanqotshwa uSathane, izwe lakhe elonakele nokungapheleli kwethu. Ungalokothi uvumele uSathane akwesabise bese uyeka ukulwa.—1 Pet. 5:9.

5. (a) Yini engasisiza siqhubeke nokulwa ukuze sithole isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu? (b) Iziphi izibonelo eziseBhayibhelini esizoxoxa ngazo?

⁵ Ukuze baphumelele, labo abasemncintiswaneni akumelwe basikhohlwe isizathu sokulwa kwabo. Ukuze bamukelwe uNkulunkulu futhi ababusise, kufanele bagxile esiqinisekisweni esisifunda kumaHebheru 11:6: “Lowo oza kuNkulunkulu kumelwe akholelwe ukuthi ukhona nokuthi uba umvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.” Isenzo sesiGreki esihunyushwe ngokuthi ‘ukufuna ngobuqotho’ sisho ukuzikhandla noma umzamo omkhulu. (IzE. 15:17) ImiBhalo isinikeza izibonelo ezinhle zamadoda nabesifazane abazikhandla ukuze bathole isibusiso sikaJehova. UJakobe, uRaheli, uJosefa noPawulu babhekana nezimo ezazibatuba ngokomzwelo nangokomzimba kodwa babonisa ukuthi ukukhuthazela kuholela ezibusisweni ezicebile. Singazilingisa kanjani izibonelo zabo ezinhle?

6. Yini eyasiza uJakobe ukuba akhuthazele futhi wavuzwa kanjani? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁶ Inzalamizi uJakobe yalwa futhi yakhuthazela ngenxa yokuthi yayithanda uJehova, yazisa izinto ezingokomoya futhi ikholelwa ngokuphelele esithembisweni sikaJehova sokubusisa inzalo yayo. (Gen. 28:3, 4). Shono nje uJakobe lapho eseneminyaka ecishe ibe yikhulu enza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuze athole isibusiso sikaJehova; waze walwa nengelosi eyayimbethe umzimba womuntu. (Funda uGenesise 32:24-28.) Ingabe uJakobe wayenawo amandla nokukhuthazela okudingekayo ukuze alwe nengelosi enamandla? Lutho neze! Kodwa wayezimisele ukulwa nayo futhi wabonisa ukuthi wayengeke ayibalekele inselele! Ngempela, wavuzwa ngokukhuthazela kwakhe. Wathola igama elifanelekayo elithi Israyeli, (elisho ukuthi “Olwa [Okhuthazelayo] NoNkulunkulu” noma “UNkulunkulu Uyalwa”). UJakobe wathola umvuzo ocebile nathi esiwufunayo—ukwamukelwa uJehova nesibusiso sakhe.

7. (a) Yisiphi isimo esicindezelayo uRaheli abhekana naso? (b) Yini ayenza ukuze akhuthazele futhi ekugcineni wabusiswa kanjani?

 ⁷ URaheli, inkosikazi kaJakobe ayithandayo, wayelangazelela ukubona indlela uJehova azogcwalisa ngayo isithembiso ayesenze kumyeni wakhe. Kodwa kwakukhona okwakubonakala kuyingqinamba engenakunqotshwa. Wayengenazo izingane. Ngosuku lwakhe, lokho kwakubhekwa njengesiqalekiso. URaheli wawathola kanjani amandla angokomzwelo nangokwenyama okuqhubeka ekhuthazelela izimo ezazidikibalisa futhi zingaphezu kwamandla akhe? Akazange alilahle ithemba. Kunalokho, waqhubeka ekhuthazela ngokuthandaza ngokujulile. UJehova wakuzwa ukunxusa kukaRaheli okusuka enhliziyweni futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wabusiswa ngezingane. Yingakho ngesinye isikhathi uRaheli akhamuluka ngenjabulo: “Ngibambene . . . ngokubambana okukhathazayo. Futhi ngibe umnqobi!”​—Gen. 30:8, 20-24.

8. Iyiphi inselele eyaqhubeka isikhathi eside futhi enzima uJosefa abhekana nayo, futhi indlela asabela ngayo isibekela siphi isibonelo esihle?

⁸ Isibonelo sokukhuthazela esabekwa uJakobe noRaheli ngokungangabazeki saba nomthelela omkhulu endodaneni yabo, uJosefa, sathonya indlela eyayiyobhekana ngayo nokuvivinywa kokholo lwayo. Lapho uJosefa eneminyaka engu-17, ukuphila kwakhe kwashintsha ngokuphelele. Ngenxa yomona, abafowabo bamthengisela ebugqilini. Kamuva kwadingeka akhuthazelele ukuvalelwa ejele iminyaka eminingi eGibhithe yize ayengenacala. (Gen. 37:23-28; 39:7-9, 20, 21) UJosefa akazange avumele ukunqotshwa ukudumazeka noma abambe igqubu okwakuyomenza afune ukuziphindiselela. Kunalokho, wagxilisa ingqondo nenhliziyo yakhe ebuhlotsheni obuhle ayenabo noJehova. (Lev. 19:18; Roma 12:17-21) Isibonelo sikaJosefa kufanele sisisize. Ngokwesibonelo, ngisho noma sakhula kanzima noma izimo esibhekene nazo manje zisiqeda ithemba, kudingeka ukuba siqhubeke silwa futhi sikhuthazele. Singaqiniseka ngokuthi uma senza kanjalo, uJehova uyosibusisa.​—Funda uGenesise 39:21-23.

9. Silingisa uJakobe, uRaheli noJosefa, kufanele senze miphi imizamo ukuze sithole isibusiso sikaJehova?

⁹ Cabanga ngesimo obhekene naso esingase sibe uvivinyo kuwe. Mhlawumbe uhlobo oluthile lokungabi nabulungisa, ukucwaswa noma ukugconwa. Noma uvivinyo obhekene nalo lubangelwa umuntu okumangalela ngamanga, mhlawumbe ngenxa yomona. Kunokunqotshwa uvivinyo, khumbula okwasiza uJakobe, uRaheli noJosefa ukuba baqhubeke bekhonza uJehova ngenjabulo. UNkulunkulu wabaqinisa futhi wababusisa ngenxa yokuthi baqhubeka bebonisa ukwazisa ngezinto ezingokomoya. Baqhubeka belwa futhi benza ngokuvumelana nemithandazo yabo eqotho. Siphila ngasekupheleni kwalesi simiso sezinto esonakele; ngakho sinesizathu esizwakalayo sokubambelela ethembeni eliqinisekisiwe elibekwe phambi kwethu! Ingabe uzimisele ukuzikhandla noma ukulwela ukuthola umusa kaJehova?

10, 11. (a) Singasilwela kanjani isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu? (b) Yini eyosisiza senze izinqumo ezihlakaniphile futhi sinqobe ukudikibala neziphazamiso?

¹⁰ Kunini lapho kungase kudingeke ukuba silwele izibusiso zikaNkulunkulu? Abaningi baye babhekana nobunzima bokunqoba ubuthakathaka benyama. Abanye kuye kwadingeka ukuba benze umzamo ukuze balondoloze umbono omuhle ngenkonzo. Kungenzeka ukuthi wena kudingeka ukhuthazele naphezu kwempilo ebuthaka  noma umzwangedwa. Akufanele sibushalazele ubunzima abanye ababhekana nabo lapho kudingeka baxolele othile oye wabona. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sesimkhonze isikhathi eside kangakanani uJehova, sonke kumelwe silwe nezinto ezingase ziphazamise inkonzo yethu kuNkulunkulu, ovuza abathembekile.

¹¹ Iqiniso liwukuthi, kungaba inselele enkulu ukwenza izinqumo ezihlakaniphile nokulandela indlela yobuKristu. Lokho kuyiqiniso ikakhulukazi uma inhliziyo yethu ekhohlisayo isiholela kokungafanele. (Jer. 17:9) Uma uqaphela ukuthi ngokwezinga elithile uye wathonywa ububi, thandaza ucele umoya ongcwele. Umthandazo nomoya ongcwele kungakunika amandla okuphishekela indlela owaziyo ukuthi ilungile futhi uJehova angayibusisa. Yenza ngokuvumelana nemithandazo yakho. Zama ukufunda amavesi eBhayibheli nsuku zonke futhi ube nesikhathi sesifundo somuntu siqu kanye nokuKhulekela Komkhaya njalo.​—Funda iHubo 119:32.

12, 13. AmaKristu amabili asizwa kanjani ukuba alawule izifiso ezimbi?

¹² Ziningi izibonelo zendlela iZwi likaNkulunkulu, umoya ongcwele nezincwadi zethu zobuKristu okuye kwasiza ngayo amaKristu ukuba anqobe izifiso ezimbi. Omunye osemusha wafunda isihloko esithi “Ungamelana Kanjani Nezifiso Ezimbi?” esikuyi-Phaphama! ka-December 8, 2003. Wasabela kanjani? “Ngilwela ukulawula imicabango engafanele. Lapho ngifunda esihlokweni ukuthi ‘kwabaningi, ukulwa nezifiso ezimbi kunzima kakhulu,’ kwangenza ngazizwa ngiyingxenye yobuzalwane. Ngazizwa ngingengedwa.” Lona osemusha waphinde wazuza nasesihlokweni  esithi “Indlela Yokuphila Ehlukile​—Ingabe UNkulunkulu Uyayamukela” esavela kuyi-Phaphama! ka-October 8, 2003. Waphawula ukuthi sakhuluma ngokuthi kwabanye le mpi ‘iyiva enyameni.’ (2 Kor. 12:7) Njengoba beqhubeka belwela ukulondoza ukuziphatha okuhle, bangakwazi ukubheka ikusasa ngethemba. Wathi, “Ngenxa yaleso sizathu ngicabanga ukuthi usuku ngalunye ngingakwazi ukuhlala ngithembekile. Ngiyambonga uJehova ngokusebenzisa inhlangano yakhe ukuze isisize silondoloze ubuqotho usuku ngalunye kulesi simiso esonakele.”

¹³ Cabanga nangokuhlangenwe nakho kukadade ose-United States. Uyabhala: “Ngifisa ukunibonga ngokuhlala nisondla ngalokho esikudingayo nangesikhathi esifanele. Ngokuvamile ngiba nomuzwa wokuthi lezi zihloko zibhalelwe mina. Sekuphele iminyaka eminingi, ngilwa nesifiso esinamandla sokwenza lokho uJehova akuzondayo. Ngezinye izikhathi, ngivele ngifune ukuyeka ukulwa. Ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova unomusa futhi uyathethelela, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi nginalesi sifiso esibi futhi engingasizondi, ngizizwa sengathi angikwazi ukuthola usizo lwakhe. Le mpi eqhubekayo ithinté zonke izici zokuphila kwami. . . . Ngemva kokufunda isihloko esithi ‘Ingabe “Unenhliziyo Yokwazi” UJehova?’ kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ka-March 15, 2013, ngezwa ukuthi ngempela uJehova uyafuna ukungisiza.”

14. (a) UPawulu wazizwa kanjani ngobunzima ayebhekene nabo? (b) Singalwa kanjani ngokuphumelelayo nobuthakathaka benyama?

¹⁴ Funda eyabaseRoma 7:21-25. UPawulu wazibonela ngokwakhe ukuthi kungaba nzima kanjani ukulwa nezifiso nobuthakathaka benyama engaphelele. Nokho, wayeqiniseka ngokuphelele ukuthi wayeyoyinqoba le mpi ngokuncika kuJehova ngomthandazo nangokubonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo sikaJesu. Kuthiwani ngathi? Njengoba silwa nobuthakathaka bethu benyama, singaphumelela. Kanjani? Ngokulingisa uPawulu, ngokuncika ngokuphelele kuJehova hhayi emandleni ethu nangokuba nokholo esihlengweni.

15. Kungani umthandazo ungasisiza ukuba siqhubeke sithembekile futhi sikhuthazelele uvivinyo?

¹⁵ Kunezikhathi lapho uNkulunkulu engase avumele ukuba sibonise indlela esizizwa ngayo ngendaba ethile. Ngokwesibonelo, kuthiwani uma thina (noma ilungu lomndeni) sigula kakhulu noma siphathwe ngendlela engenabulungisa? Siyobonisa ukuthi sithembele ngokuphelele kuJehova ngokunxusa kuye ngomthandazo ukuba asiphe amandla okuhlala sithembekile futhi singalahlekelwa injabulo nengokomoya lethu. (Fil. 4:13) Okuhlangenwe nakho kwabaningi, kokubili ngosuku lukaPawulu nasesikhathini sethu, kufakazela ukuthi umthandazo ungasisiza sivuselele amandla ethu futhi sizethembe ukuze siqhubeke sikhuthazela.

16, 17. Njengomuntu olwayo, yini ozimisele ukuyenza?

¹⁶ UDeveli angajabula kakhulu ukukubona uvuma ukuba yisehluleki. Zimisele ‘ukubambelela uqinise kokuhle.’ (1 Thes. 5:21) Qiniseka ngokuthi ungamnqoba uSathane, izwe lakhe elonakele nanoma yikuphi ukuthambekela kwesono. Lokho ungakwenza ngokuthembela ngokuphelele ekutheni uNkulunkulu angakwazi ukukuqinisa.—2 Kor. 4:7-9; Gal. 6:9.

¹⁷ Ngawo wonke amandla akho qhubeka uzikhandla. Qhubeka ulwa. Qhubeka ukhuthazela. Qiniseka ngokuphelele ukuthi uJehova ‘uyothululela phezu kwakho isibusiso kuze kungabikho ukuswela.’​—Mal. 3:10.