1. (a) Kungani kubaluleke ngokukhethekile manje ukuba silwe noSathane? (b) Sazi kanjani ukuthi singanqoba empini yethu noSathane?

USATHANE ulwa nabagcotshiweyo abasesemhlabeni kanye “nezinye izimvu.” (Johane 10:16) Kulesi sikhathi esifushane esisamsalele, uDeveli ufuna ukuqeda ukholo lwezinceku zikaJehova eziningi ngangokunokwenzeka. (Funda isAmbulo 12:9, 12.) Kodwa singanqoba empini yethu noSathane. IBhayibheli lithi: “Melanani noDeveli khona-ke uyonibalekela.”—Jakobe 4:7.

2, 3. (a) Kungani uSathane efuna ukuba abantu bakholelwe ukuthi akekho? (b) Wazi kanjani ukuthi uSathane ungumuntu ongokoqobo?

² Abaningi bakubheka njengehlaya ukuthi uSathane ukhona. Kubo, uSathane namademoni akhe bamane nje bangabantu basezincwadini, kumabhayisikobho ethusayo nasemidlalweni yama-computer. Abantu abanjalo banomuzwa wokuthi uma uhlakaniphile, ngeke ukholelwe ukuthi imimoya emibi ikhona. Ingabe kuyamkhathaza uSathane ukuthi abantu abakholelwa ukuthi yena namademoni akhe bakhona ngempela? Cha. Kulula ngokwengeziwe kuSathane ukuphamba labo  abangabazayo ukuthi ukhona. (2 Korinte 4:4) Empeleni uSathane ukhuthaza imibono enjengalo ukuze adukise abantu.

³ Njengezinceku zikaJehova, thina asidukiswa. Siyazi ukuthi uDeveli ungumuntu ongokoqobo. Sikwazi kanjani lokhu? IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi uSathane wakhuluma no-Eva esebenzisa inyoka. (Genesise 3:1-5) Wakhuluma noJehova, engabaza izisusa zikaJobe. (Jobe 1:9-12) USathane wazama ukulinga uJesu. (Mathewu 4:1-10) Ngemva kokuba uJesu ebe iNkosi ngo-1914, uSathane waqala ‘ukulwa’ nabagcotshiweyo abasesemhlabeni. (IsAmbulo 12:17) Le mpi iyaqhubeka njengoba uDeveli ezama ukuqeda ukholo lwabagcotshiweyo nolwezinye izimvu. Ukuze sinqobe kule mpi, kumelwe silwe noSathane futhi sigcine ukholo lwethu luqinile. Lesi sihloko sikhuluma ngezindlela ezintathu esingakwenza ngazo lokhu.

4. Kungani uSathane eyisibonelo esivelele sokuziqhenya?

⁴ USathane uziqhenya ngokwedlulele. Le ngelosi embi yaba namagangangozi okubekela ilungelo likaNkulunkulu lokubusa inselele, futhi yazama ukwenza abanye bakhulekele yona kunokuba bakhulekele uJehova. Ngakho, uyisibonelo esivelele sokuziqhenya nokuzidla. Ngenxa yalokho, enye yezindlela esingalwa ngazo noSathane iwukwenqaba ukuziqhenya futhi sibe abathobekile. (Funda eyoku-1 Petru 5:5.) Kodwa kuyini ukuziqhenya? Ingabe kubi ngaso sonke isikhathi?

5, 6. (a) Ingabe ukuziqhenya kubi ngaso sonke isikhathi? Chaza. (b) Hlobo luni lokuziqhenya oluyingozi, futhi iziphi ezinye zezibonelo zako eziseBhayibhelini?

⁵ Ngokwesichazamazwi esithile, ukuziqhenya kuwumuzwa wokuzethemba nokuzihlonipha. Sithi futhi “kuwumuzwa wokwaneliseka oba nawo ngoba wena noma abantu osondelene nabo benze okuthile okuhle noma benento ethile enhle.” Akukubi ukuba nomuzwa onjalo. Umphostoli uPawulu wathi kubazalwane baseThesalonika: “Siyaziqhenya ngani phakathi kwamabandla kaNkulunkulu ngenxa yokukhuthazela nokholo lwenu kukho konke ukushushiswa kwenu nezinsizi enizibekezelelayo.” (2 Thesalonika 1:4) Ngakho ukujabula ngomsebenzi wabanye ngisho nokuziqhenya ngezinga elithile ngathi ngokwethu kungasizuzisa. Asikho isidingo sokuzenyeza ngomndeni wakithi, indlela yokuphila noma indawo esikhulele kuyo.—IzEnzo 21:39.

⁶ Nokho, kunohlobo lokuziqhenya olungonakalisa ubuhlobo bethu nabanye, ikakhulu ubuhlobo bethu noJehova. Lolu hlobo lokuziqhenya, oluwukuqhosha, lungasenza sicasuke lapho selulekwa. Lungasenza sisenqabe ngisho nokusenqaba iseluleko esikhundleni sokusamukela ngokuthobeka. (IHubo 141:5) Lolu hlobo lokuziqhenya luchazwa ngokuthi ukuziphakamisa noma ngokuthi “isimo sengqondo sokuzigqaja esiboniswa abantu abakholelwa ukuthi bangcono kunabanye ngokuvamile sibe singekho isisekelo sokwenza kanjalo.” UJehova uyakuzonda ukuziqhenya kokuzidla. (Hezekeli 33:28; Amose 6:8) Kodwa uSathane uyajabula lapho abantu belingisa ukuzidla kwakhe ngokuqhosha. Cabanga ukuthi uSathane wajabula kangakanani lapho uNimrode, uFaro no-Absalomu bebonisa ukuziqhenya okungafanele ngokuqhosha! (Genesise 10:8, 9; Eksodusi 5:1, 2; 2 Samuweli 15:4-6) Ukuqhosha okwenza noKhayini walahlekelwa  ubuhlobo bakhe noNkulunkulu. UKhayini welulekwa uJehova ngokwakhe, kodwa wayeqhosha kakhulu kangangokuthi akazange alalele. Waba nenkani, wasishaya indiva isixwayiso sikaNkulunkulu futhi akazange ananaze ukona phambi kukaJehova.—Genesise 4:6-8.

7, 8. (a) Buyini ubuhlanga, futhi buhlobene kanjani nokuqhosha? (b) Chaza indlela ukuqhosha okungakuqeda ngayo ukuthula ebandleni.

⁷ Namuhla, abantu babonisa ukuqhosha ngezindlela eziningi ezilimazayo. Ngezinye izikhathi, ukuqhosha kuyahlobana nobuhlanga. Ngokwesinye isichazamazwi, ubuhlanga buwukubandlulula abantu bezinye izinhlanga. Sithi futhi “buyinkolelo yokuthi abantu bezinhlanga ezihlukahlukene banezimfanelo namakhono ahlukile, futhi ezinye izinhlanga zingcono noma ziphansi kunezinye ngokwemvelo.” Ubuhlanga buye baholela ezimpini ezinkulu nezincane, ngisho nasekubulaweni kwabantu abaningi.

⁸ Yebo, izimo ezinjalo akufanele zibe khona ebandleni lobuKristu. Noma kunjalo, ukungezwani phakathi kwabazalwane nodade kungase kuqale ngokuqhosha futhi kubhebhetheke. Lokho kwenzeka phakathi kwamanye amaKristu okuqala, futhi yingakho uJakobe awabuza lo mbuzo ongagwegwesi: “Zivelaphi izimpi futhi kuvelaphi ukulwa phakathi kwenu?” (Jakobe 4:1) Uma sizonda abanye futhi sinomuzwa wokuthi singcono kunabo, singase sisho noma senze okuthile okubalimazayo ngempela. (IzAga 12:18) Kusobala ukuthi ukuqhosha kungakuphazamisa ukuthula ebandleni.

9. IBhayibheli lisisiza kanjani ukuba silwe nobuhlanga nezinye izinhlobo zokuziqhenya okungafanele? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁹ Uma sithambekele ekuzizweni singcono kunabanye, kudingeka sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova uzonda “wonke umuntu oziqhenyayo enhliziyweni.” (IzAga 16:5) Kudingeka futhi sihlole izinhliziyo zethu bese sizibuza, ‘Ingabe nginomuzwa wokuthi ngingcono kunabantu bolunye uhlanga, isizwe noma indlela yokuphila?’ Uma kunjalo, sisuke sikhohlwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu “ngomuntu oyedwa wenza zonke izizwe zabantu.” (IzEnzo 17:26) Ngakho, ngandlela-thile sonke siwuhlanga olulodwa ngoba sonke sivela ku-Adamu. Kuwubuwula obuphindiwe ukukholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wenza izinhlanga ezithile zaba ngcono kunezinye. Uma sicabanga ngale ndlela, sivumela uSathane ukuba aqede uthando nobunye bethu bobuKristu. (Johane 13:35) Ukuze silwe noSathane futhi sinqobe, kumelwe sizigweme zonke izinhlobo zokuziqhenya okungafanele.—IzAga 16:18.

10, 11. (a) Kungani kungase kube lula ukuthanda izwe? (b) Ukuthanda kukaDema izwe kwaba namuphi umphumela?

¹⁰ USathane ‘ungumbusi waleli zwe’ futhi uyalilawula. (Johane 12:31; 1 Johane 5:19) Izinto eziningi ezikhuthazwa yileli zwe ziphambene nezindinganiso zeBhayibheli. Yiqiniso, akuzona zonke izinto ezisezweni ezimbi. Noma kunjalo, singaqiniseka ukuthi uSathane uyosebenzisa izwe lakhe ukuze asizakale ngezifiso zethu futhi  azame ukusenza sone. Noma uyozama ukusenza ukuba sithande izwe futhi sidebeselele ukukhulekela kwethu uJehova.—Funda eyoku-1 Johane 2:15, 16.

¹¹ Amanye amaKristu okuqala alithanda izwe. Ngokwesibonelo, uPawulu wabhala: “UDema ungishiyile ngoba ethanda isimiso samanje sezinto.” (2 Thimothewu 4:10) IBhayibheli alisho ngokuqondile ukuthi isiphi isici saleli zwe uDema asithanda esamenza washiya uPawulu. Kungenzeka ukuthi uDema waqala ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo ngaphezu kwenkonzo yakhe kuJehova. Uma kunjalo, walahlekelwa ithuba lokuthola amalungelo ajabulisayo enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu. Ingabe wakhetha ngokuhlakanipha? Cha. UDema wayengaqhubeka esiza uPawulu. Izwe lalingeke limnike lutho olungcono kunalokho uJehova ayengamnika kona!—IzAga 10:22.

12. USathane angasizakala kanjani ngezifiso zethu esebenzisa “amandla engcebo okukhohlisa”?

¹² Kungenzeka okufanayo nakithi namuhla. NjengamaKristu, kungokwemvelo ukuba sifise ukuzondla thina nemindeni yethu. (1 Thimothewu 5:8) UJehova ufuna sikujabulele ukuphila. Siyakwazi lokhu ngoba wanika u-Adamu no-Eva ipharadesi elihle ukuba baphile kulo. (Genesise 2:9) Kodwa uSathane angasizakala ngezifiso zethu esebenzisa “amandla engcebo okukhohlisa.” (Mathewu 13:22) Abaningi bacabanga ukuthi okuyobenza bajabule noma baphumelele yimali noma izinto ezibonakalayo. Uma sicabanga ngale ndlela, kungasenza silahlekelwe into eyigugu kakhulu esinayo, ubungane bethu noJehova. UJesu waxwayisa: “Akekho ongakhonza amakhosi amabili; ngoba uyozonda enye athande enye, noma anamathele kwenye, adelele enye. Anikwazi ukuba yizikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu nezeNgcebo.” (Mathewu 6:24) Uma sisebenzela izinto ezibonakalayo kuphela, sesiyekile ukukhonza uJehova. Yilokho kanye uSathane afuna sikwenze. Kwangathi singelokothe sivumele imali noma izinto engazithenga kube okubaluleke ngaphezu kobungane bethu noJehova. Ukuze silwe noSathane futhi sinqobe, kumelwe sibe nesimo sengqondo esifanele ngezinto ezibonakalayo.—Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 6:6-10.

13. Leli zwe liye lawukhuthaza kanjani umbono ongafanele ngomshado nobulili?

¹³ Esinye sezicupho zikaSathane ukuziphatha okubi kobulili. Abantu abaningi bacabanga ukuthi ukwethembeka kumuntu oshade naye kanye nomshado ngokwawo kuyisidala futhi kubancisha inkululeko. Ngokwesibonelo, owesifazane ongumdlali wamabhayisikobho wathi akunakwenzeka ukuhlale wethembekile kumuntu oshade naye. Wanezela, “Akekho engimaziyo ohlale ethembekile noma okufunayo.” Owesilisa ongumdlali wamabhayisikobho wathi, “Angiqiniseki ukuthi sasivele sidalelwe ukuhlala nomuntu oyedwa ukuphila kwethu konke.” Kumelwe ukuba uSathane ujabula kakhulu lapho abantu abadumile begxeka isipho sikaNkulunkulu somshado. UDeveli akalisekeli ilungiselelo lomshado  futhi akafuni imishado iphumelele. Ngakho, ukuze silwe noSathane futhi sinqobe, kumelwe sibe nombono kaNkulunkulu ngomshado.

14, 15. Yini ongayenza uma ulingwa ukuba uziphathe kabi ngokobulili?

¹⁴ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sishadile noma cha, kumelwe silwe kanzima nazo zonke izinhlobo zokuziphatha okubi kobulili. Kulula yini lokhu? Lutho neze! Ngokwesibonelo, uma usemusha, ungase uzwe ofunda nabo beqhosha ngokuthi baya ocansini nanoma ubani ngokuthanda kwabo. Bangase baqhoshe nangokuthi bathumelelana imiyalezo nezithombe zocansi ngomakhalekhukhwini babo. Eqinisweni, kwamanye amazwe, ukuthumelelana imiyalezo yocansi kubhekwa njengokufanayo nokuthumelela othile izithombe ezingcolile zobulili zezingane. IBhayibheli lithi: “Ofebayo wona owakhe umzimba.” (1 Korinte 6:18) Izifo ezisakazeka ngocansi ziye zahlukumeza futhi zabulala abantu abaningi. Intsha eningi eye yaya ocansini ingashadile ithi iyazisola ngalokho. Ezokuzijabulisa zifuna sikholelwe ukuthi ukwephula imithetho kaNkulunkulu akubi namiphumela. Uma siwakholelwa amanga anjalo, singase sidukiswe “amandla okukhohlisa esono.”—Hebheru 3:13.

¹⁵ Uma ulingeka ukuba uziphathe kabi ngokobulili, yini ongayenza? Vuma ukuthi unobuthakathaka. (Roma 7:22,  23) Thandaza kuNkulunkulu ucele amandla. (Filipi 4:6, 7, 13) Gwema izimo ezingakwenza uziphathe kabi ngokobulili. (IzAga 22:3) Lapho ubhekene nesilingo, senqabe ngokushesha.—Genesise 39:12.

16. Yini uJesu ayisho lapho uSathane ezama ukumlinga futhi yini esingayifunda kuleso sibonelo?

¹⁶ UJesu wasibekela isibonelo esinamandla. Akakhohliswanga izithembiso zikaSathane. Akazange ngisho ame acabange ngazo. Kunalokho, ngokushesha wathi kuSathane: “Kulotshiwe.” (Funda uMathewu 4:4-10.) UJesu wayelazi iZwi likaNkulunkulu, ngakho wakwazi ukucaphuna imiBhalo ngokushesha lapho uSathane ezama ukumlinga. Ukuze silwe noSathane futhi sinqobe, akumelwe sisivumele isilingo sokuziphatha kabi ngokobulili.—1 Korinte 6:9, 10.

17, 18. (a) Iziphi ezinye izicupho uSathane azisebenzisayo futhi kungani sikulindele lokho? (b) Yini ezokwenzeka kuSathane futhi lokho kukukhuthaza kanjani ukuba ukhuthazele?

¹⁷ Ukuziqhenya, ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo nokuziphatha okubi kobulili kumane kungezintathu zezicupho zikaSathane. Kunezinye eziningi. Ngokwesibonelo, amanye amaKristu aphikiswa amalungu omndeni noma ahlekwe afunda nabo. Amanye ahlala emazweni lapho uhulumeni uzama khona ukuwavimbela ukuba ashumayele. Sikulindele ukubhekana nalezo zinselele. UJesu ngokwakhe wasixwayisa: “Niyoba yizinto zokuzondwa abantu bonke ngenxa yegama lami; kodwa lowo okhuthazele kwaze kwaba sekupheleni nguye oyosindiswa.”—Mathewu 10:22.

¹⁸ Singalwa kanjani noSathane futhi sinqobe? UJesu wathi: “Ngokukhuthazela kwenu niyozuza imiphefumulo yenu.” (Luka 21:19) Akukho lutho umuntu angalwenza olungasilimaza phakade. Akekho ongasiphuca ubungane bethu noNkulunkulu ngaphandle uma thina sikuvumela lokho ukuba kwenzeke. (Roma 8:38, 39) Ngisho noma ezinye zezinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile zifa, akusho ukuthi uSathane unqobile. UJehova uyozivusa. (Johane 5:28, 29) Kodwa uSathane akanalo ikusasa. Ngemva kokubhujiswa kwaleli zwe elibi, uyophonswa kwalasha futhi avalelwe lapho iminyaka eyinkulungwane. (IsAmbulo 20:1-3) Ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane yokubusa kukaKristu, uSathane “uyothukululwa aphume etilongweni lakhe,” futhi uyozama okokugcina ukudukisa isintu esiphelele. Ngemva kwalokho uyobhujiswa. (IsAmbulo 20:7-10) Nakuba uDeveli engenalo ikusasa, wena unalo! Qhubeka ulwa noSathane futhi ugcine ukholo lwakho luqinile. Ungalwa noSathane futhi unqobe!