“Againstim Devil”

“Againstim Devil, and hem bae ranawe from iufala.”—JAMES 4:7.

1. Hao nao world distaem, and why nao olketa anointed wan and olketa fren bilong olketa need for careful and lukaot?

“GOD hem lus, bat Devil stap yet.” Datfala toktok bilong wanfala man bilong France for raet, André Malraux, hem barava fitim world bilong iumi distaem, bikos luk olsem planti taem olketa man followim olketa trik bilong Devil winim wei for followim will bilong God. Satan hem leadim olketa man for go difren “witim olketa strongfala waka and olketa giaman saen and warning and witim evri laea wei wea no raeteous for olketa wea bae dae.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10) Bat, long “olketa last day” distaem, main target bilong Satan hem olketa servant bilong God wea dedicate. Hem faet againstim olketa anointed Christian, “wea obeyim olketa komandment bilong God and wea garem waka for witness abaotem Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:1; Revelation 12:9, 17) Olketa anointed servant bilong God hia and olketa fren bilong olketa wea hope for stap long earth need for careful and lukaot.

2. Hao nao Satan switim Eve, and aposol Paul hem wari abaotem wanem samting?

² Evri wei bilong Satan hem giaman. Hem iusim wanfala snek for trikim Eve, mekem hem tingse hem bae moa hapi sapos hem independent from God. (Genesis 3:1-6) Samting olsem foa thousand year bihaen, aposol Paul wari abaotem olketa Christian long Corinth, nogud olketa kleva trik bilong Satan mekem olketa foldaon. Paul hem raet: “Mi fraet, nogud long sem wei wea snek hem giamanim Eve thru long kleva wei bilong hem, mind bilong iufala maet lusim stretfala and klinfala fasin wea fitim Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3) Satan savve spoelem mind and twistim tingting bilong pipol. Long sem wei wea hem switim Eve, hem savve kosim olketa Christian for garem rong tingting long wei for tingse hapi hem kam from samting wea Jehovah and Son bilong hem no appruvim.

3. Hao nao Jehovah provaedem protection from Devil?

³ Satan hem olsem wanfala man wea iusim trap for kasholem bird. For no foldaon insaed olketa trap bilong Satan, iumi mas “stap long secret ples bilong Most Hae,” wea hem wanfala tokpiksa ples wea Jehovah provaedem protection for olketa wea duim samting wea showimaot olketa luksavve long sovereign rul bilong hem and stap anda long datwan. (Psalm 91:1-3) Iumi needim full protection wea God givim thru long Word, holy spirit, and organization bilong hem mekem iumi savve “stand strong againstim evri trik bilong Devil.” (Ephesians 6:11) Tru nao, Devil hem iusim planti kleva trik for trae trapim olketa servant bilong Jehovah.

Olketa Trap Bilong Satan for Olketa Christian Bifor

4. Olketa Christian bifor stap long wanem kaen world?

⁴ Olketa Christian wea stap long first and mek-tu century C.E. stap long taem wea Roman Empire hem strong fogud. From datfala taem olketa kantri wea stap anda long rul bilong Rome garem peace, evriting hem barava kamap gud saed long bisnis. Disfala gud living minim olketa rich pipol garem planti free taem, so olketa ruler provaedem staka hapitaem for olketa man nating for mekem olketa no go againstim olketa. Samfala taem, namba bilong olketa pablik holiday hem semsem witim namba bilong olketa day for waka. Olketa ruler iusim selen bilong gavman for givim kaikai and hapitaem long olketa pipol for mek sure olketa no hangre and mind bilong olketa busy long difren samting.

5, 6. (a) Why nao hem no fitim for olketa Christian bifor for go long olketa show and stadium long Rome? (b) Wanem trik nao Satan iusim and hao nao olketa Christian savve stap klia long datwan?

⁵ Waswe, diswan hem wanfala danger for olketa Christian bifor? Samting wea olketa man olsem Tertullian raetem, wea laef no longtaem bihaen olketa aposol, hem showimaot hao planti hapitaem long datfala taem hem danger saed long fasin and long spiritual wei for olketa tru Christian. Wanfala danger hem wei wea planti long olketa pablik festival and game hem for honorim olketa heathen god. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) Planti drama wea pipol tingse hem hae standard, olketa fulap witim dirty or raf fasin and wei for killim man dae. Gogo, pipol start for les long olketa drama hia, and changem olketa witim olketa show wea moa worse wea pipol dance and act insaed long barava dirty wei. Long buk bilong hem, Daily Life in Ancient Rome, man for raetem history, Jérôme Carcopino hem sei: “Long olketa show hia olketa woman actor aotem kaleko bilong olketa evribit . . . Olketa busarem pipol. . . . Olketa no hol bak for duim enikaen dirty samting wea pipol long datfala taem barava laekem. Pipol no heitim kaen dirty and nogud samting hia bikos raf fasin and wei for busarem pipol wea olketa lukim for longtaem finis barava spoelem normal feeling bilong olketa and mekem olketa ting nating long diswan.”—Matthew 5:27, 28.

⁶ Long olketa stadium, olketa gladiator faetem each other go kasem dae, or faetem and killim dae olketa wild animal, or maet olketa animal nao win and killim dae olketa gladiator. Olketa torowem olketa criminal and, gogo, planti Christian tu long olketa wild animal. Long datfala taem tu, trik bilong Satan hem for mekem pipol lusim feeling for ting long dirty and raf fasin olsem samting wea nogud tumas and for mekem pipol start for acceptim and wantem kaen samting olsem. Only wei for stap klia long datfala trap hem for no go long olketa show and stadium.—1 Corinthians 15:32, 33.

7, 8. (a) Why nao hem no wise for wanfala Christian bifor for go long olketa chariot resis? (b) Long wanem wei nao maet Satan iusim olketa pablik ples for swim long Rome olsem wanfala trap for olketa Christian?

⁷ Olketa chariot resis wea olketa duim insaed olketa stadium maet interesting tumas, bat hem no fitim olketa Christian from planti taem crowd kamap barava raf. Wanfala man for raet long mek-thri century talem hao samfala long audience faet midolwan long olketa seleva, and Carcopino talem hao “olketa man wea studyim star for savve long future and olketa jury woman duim bisnis” barava insaed datfala stadium. Hem klia, olketa chariot resis long stadium hem no fitim olketa Christian.—1 Corinthians 6:9, 10.

⁸ Waswe long olketa pablik ples for swim long Rome? Hem tru, hem gud samting for swim for keepim body klin. Bat planti pablik ples for swim long Rome olketa bigfala ples wea garem tu olketa rum for exercise, pressim body, gambol and olketa ples for kaikai and drink. Nomata olketa markem taem for olketa woman swim and taem for olketa man, planti taem pipol acceptim wei for olketa swim tugeta. Clement of Alexandria hem raet: “Olketa letem olketa man and woman swim long semtaem; and long dat taem olketa aotem kaleko for duim olabaot fasin.” So, hem isi for Satan iusim samting wea pipol tingse hem gud samting olsem wanfala trap for olketa Christian. Olketa wea wise no go long kaen ples olsem.

9. Olketa first Christian bifor need for stap klia long olketa wanem trap?

⁹ Taem Roman Empire hem strong fogud, pipol barava enjoyim wei for gambol olsem hapitaem. Olketa Christian long datfala taem savve stap klia long wei for gambol long olketa chariot resis sapos olketa no go long olketa stadium. Pipol brekem law taem olketa gambol tu long olketa rum wea haed bihaen long olketa hotel. Olketa wea duim diswan gambol long namba bilong olketa smol ston or bon wea narawan holem long hand bilong hem. Pipol laekem tumas wei for gambol from hem givim chance for olketa kasem selen wea olketa no waka for hem. (Ephesians 5:5) And tu, planti taem olketa girl wea sellim alcohol long bar long olketa ples olsem, olketa jury, wea minim danger saed long dirty fasin hem stap tu. Hem nao kaen trap wea Satan putim for olketa Christian wea stap long olketa taon bilong Roman Empire. Waswe, hem difren distaem?

Olketa Trap Bilong Satan Distaem

10. Hao nao olketa samting wea kamap distaem hem semsem olsem taem bilong Roman Empire?

¹⁰ Planti trik wea Satan iusim bifor, hem iusim distaem tu. Aposol Paul givim strongfala kaonsel for olketa Christian long nogud taon bilong Corinth mekem “Satan hem no win ovarem” olketa. Hem sei: “Iumi savve long olketa trik bilong [Satan].” (2 Corinthians 2:11) Long planti rich kantri distaem, hem semsem olsem Roman Empire taem rul bilong hem strong fogud. Planti pipol garem moa free taem winim enitaem bifor. Lottery wea gavman arrangem givim poor pipol tu lelebet hope. Planti cheap hapitaem hem stap for mekem mind bilong pipol busy. Olketa sports stadium fulap witim pipol, pipol gambol, samfala taem crowd hem kamap raf, and planti taem olketa sportsman nao raf tumas. Pipol herem nogud music olowe, and olketa dirty show kamap long olketa theater stage and tu insaed olketa video and long television. Long samfala kantri, olketa man and woman swim tugeta long olketa hot spring or leidaon naked long sandbis. Satan hem trae for iusim olketa hapitaem bilong disfala world for switim olketa servant bilong God, long sem wei wea hem duim long olketa Christian bifor.

11. Olketa wanem trap nao savve kamap from feeling for laek relax?

¹¹ Long disfala world wea iumi evriwan kasem samfala hevi, hem normal samting for laek relax or enjoyim lelebet hapitaem. Bat, long sem wei wea olketa pablik ples for swim long Rome garem samfala danger for olketa Christian bifor, samfala holiday resort distaem kamap olsem trap bilong Satan for leadim olketa Christian for duim dirty fasin or ova tumas long alcohol. Paul raet long olketa Christian long Corinth: “No letem eniwan giamanim iu. Wei for kaban witim nogud pipol hem spoelem gudfala fasin. Wekap long kliafala tingting long raeteous wei and no duim sin, from samfala no garem savve bilong God.”—1 Corinthians 15:33, 34.

12. Wanem nao samfala trik wea Satan iusim for trapim olketa servant bilong Jehovah distaem?

¹² Iumi lukim finis kleva wei bilong Satan for spoelem tingting bilong Eve. (2 Corinthians 11:3) Distaem, wanfala trik bilong Devil hem for mekem olketa Christian tingse olketa bae win for pullim samfala kam long Christian truth sapos olketa followim samfala wei bilong world for showim hao Olketa Jehovah’s Witness semsem olsem nara pipol. Samtaem, olketa ova tumas for duim diswan and opposite samting nao hem happen. (Haggai 2:12-14) Narafala trik bilong Satan hem for muvim olketa young and olo Christian wea dedicate finis for garem dabol laef and “mekem holy spirit bilong God feel sorre.” (Ephesians 4:30) Samfala foldaon insaed disfala trap taem olketa iusim Internet long nogud wei.

13. Wanem nao wanfala kleva trik bilong Devil wea olsem trap wea haed, and wanem nao kaonsel long Proverbs wea fitim diswan?

¹³ Nara trik bilong Satan hem for haedem danger bilong spiritism. No eni tru Christian bae min for join insaed spiritism or wei for worshipim Satan. Bat, samfala no careful saed long video, television, video game, and tu olketa comic and buk for pikinini wea mekhae long raf fasin or samting wea join witim spiritism. Iumi mas barava stap klia long eni samting wea join witim spiritism long eni wei. Wisefala proverb hem sei: “Olketa nila and trap stap long road bilong kruked wan; man wea protectim soul bilong hem no go klosap long olketa.” (Proverbs 22:5) From Satan hem “god bilong disfala system,” eni samting wea pipol interest tumas long hem maet garem trap bilong hem wea haed.—2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 2:15, 16.

Jesus Againstim Devil

14. Hao nao Jesus stand strong againstim firstfala temptation bilong Devil?

¹⁴ Jesus hem nambawan example bilong wei for againstim Devil and mekem hem ranawe. Bihaen Jesus hem baptaes and no kaikai for 40 day, Satan testim hem. (Matthew 4:1-11) Hem iusim wei wea Jesus hem hangre bihaen hem no kaikai olsem firstfala temptation. Satan encouragem Jesus for mekem first mirakol bilong hem samting for satisfaem physical need bilong hem. Jesus iusim toktok from Deuteronomy 8:3 long ansa bilong hem and hem nating willing for iusim paoa bilong hem long selfish wei. Hem putim spiritual kaikai firstaem long physical kaikai.

15. (a) Wanem normal feeling nao Satan mekius long hem for testim Jesus? (b) Wanem nao wanfala main kleva trik wea Devil iusim againstim olketa servant bilong God distaem, bat hao nao iumi savve againstim hem?

¹⁵ Wanfala interesting point saed long disfala temptation hem hao Devil no trae for switim Jesus for duim wanfala sin saed long sex. Luk olsem normal feeling for hangre wea mekem man wantem kaikai, hem moa strong winim eni nara temptation wea Satan savve iusim for switim Jesus long datfala taem. Olketa wanem temptation nao Devil iusim for switim pipol bilong God distaem? Hem iusim planti difren kaen, bat temptation saed long sex hem wanfala main kleva trik wea hem iusim for trae spoelem faithful fasin bilong pipol bilong Jehovah. Sapos iumi followim example bilong Jesus, iumi savve againstim Devil and stand strong againstim olketa temptation. Long sem wei wea Jesus iusim olketa scripture for win againstim wei wea Satan trae for switim hem, taem iumi feisim temptation saed long sex iumi savve tingim olketa scripture olsem Genesis 39:9 and 1 Corinthians 6:18.

16. (a) Wanem nao mek-tu wei wea Satan testim Jesus? (b) Long olketa wanem wei nao maet Satan trae switim iumi for testim Jehovah?

¹⁶ Next samting, Devil challengem Jesus for jamp daon from wall bilong temple and testim sapos God fit for iusim olketa angel for protectim hem. Jesus talem toktok from Deuteronomy 6:16 and hem nating willing for testim Father bilong hem. Maet Satan no testim iumi long wei for jamp daon from wanfala temple wall, bat hem savve switim iumi for testim Jehovah. Waswe, iumi tingse iumi savve followim world long klos wei saed long kaleko and lukluk and no kasem kaonsel? Waswe, nogud hapitaem savve switim iumi? Sapos olsem, maet iumi testim Jehovah. Sapos iumi garem feeling for laekem kaen samting olsem, winim wei for ranawe from iumi, maet Satan hem stap witim iumi and go ahed for trae switim iumi for saedem hem.

17. (a) Wanem nao mek-thri wei wea Devil testim Jesus? (b) Hao nao toktok long James 4:7 savve kamap tru for iumi?

¹⁷ Taem Satan offerim Jesus evri kingdom bilong disfala world sapos hem duim wanfala samting for worshipim hem, Jesus talem toktok from Scripture moa and hem stand strong for worshipim Father bilong hem nomoa. (Deuteronomy 5:9; 6:13; 10:20) Maet Satan no offerim iumi olketa kingdom bilong world, bat hem evritaem trae switim iumi witim olketa material samting, and maet chance for garem stael living. Waswe, iumi duim sem samting olsem Jesus and worshipim Jehovah nomoa? Sapos olsem, bae iumi experiencem sem samting olsem Jesus. Record long Matthew hem sei: “Then Devil lusim hem.” (Matthew 4:11) Satan bae lusim iumi sapos iumi stand strong againstim hem long wei for tingim olketa Bible principle wea fitim and followim olketa. Disaepol James hem raet: “Againstim Devil, and hem bae ranawe from iufala.” (James 4:7) Wanfala Christian hem raetem leta long branch office bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long France wea sei: “Satan hem barava kleva. Nomata mi traem best bilong mi, mi faendem hem barava hard for kontrolem feeling bilong mi and samting wea mi wantem. Nomata olsem, witim strong, patient fasin, and winim evri samting, help bilong Jehovah, mi go ahed faithful and hol strong long truth.”

Barava Fit for Againstim Devil

18. Wanem nao spiritual kaleko for faet wea mekem iumi fit for againstim Devil?

¹⁸ Jehovah givim iumi full kaleko for faet mekem iumi fit for “stand strong againstim evri trik bilong Devil.” (Ephesians 6:11-18) Love bilong iumi for truth bae redyim iumi for Christian waka. Wei wea iumi disaed strong for followim olketa standard bilong Jehovah saed long raeteous fasin bae olsem wanfala breastplate wea protectim heart bilong iumi. Sapos leg bilong iumi werem shoe bilong gud nius, bae iumi evritaem tekpart long preaching waka, and datwan bae strongim and protectim iumi long spiritual wei. Strongfala faith bilong iumi bae olsem wanfala bigfala shield for protectim iumi from “olketa spia bilong fire bilong wicked wan,” olketa kleva attak and temptation bilong hem. Sure hope bilong iumi hao olketa promis bilong Jehovah bae fulfill bae olsem wanfala hat for protectim tingting bilong iumi and givim iumi peace long mind. (Philippians 4:7) Sapos iumi savve tumas for iusim Word bilong God, hem bae olsem wanfala sword wea iumi savve iusim for helpem pipol kamap free from olketa giaman religion bilong Satan. Iumi savve iusim Bible tu for defendim iumiseleva olsem Jesus duim taem Satan testim hem.

19. Witim wei for ‘againstim Devil,’ iumi mas duim wanem samting?

¹⁹ Taem iumi go ahed for werem disfala “full kaleko for faet wea kam from God” and go ahed for prea evritaem, iumi savve sure Jehovah bae protectim iumi taem Satan attakim iumi. (John 17:15; 1 Corinthians 10:13) Bat James showim hao hem no inaf for ‘againstim Devil.’ Winim evri samting, iumi mas “stap anda long God” wea kea for iumi. (James 4:7, 8) Nextfala article bae storyim hao nao for duim diswan.

Hao Nao Bae Iu Ansa?

• Wanem nao olketa trap bilong Satan wea olketa Christian bifor mas stap klia from olketa?

• Wanem nao olketa kleva trik wea Satan iusim distaem for trae trapim olketa servant bilong Jehovah?

• Hao nao Jesus againstim olketa temptation bilong Devil?

• Wanem nao spiritual kaleko for faet wea mekem iumi fit for againstim Devil?

[Piksa long page 9]

Jesus hem strong for againstim Devil

[Olketa Piksa long page 10]

Olketa Christian long first-century rejectim raf and dirty hapitaem

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The Complete Encyclopedia of Illustration/J. G. Heck