Melanani Namacebo KaSathane!
“Hlomani zonke izikhali uNkulunkulu azilungiselelayo, ukuze nikwazi ukumelana namacebo kaSathane.”—EFESU 6:11, The New English Bible.
1. Siyini isabelo samaKristu aphila ngokuvumelana namalungelo awo?
OFAKAZI bakaJehova abazinikezele abaphila ngokuvumelana namalungelo abo bajabulela ipharadesi elingokomoya. Echaza ngokwesiprofetho isimo sabo sosuku lwanamuhla, umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uIsaya wabhala: “Ukwahlulela kuyakwakha ehlane, ukulunga kuhlale ensimini. Umsebenzi wokulunga uyakuba-ngukuthula, impumelelo yokulunga ibe-ngukulondeka kuze kube-phakade.”—Isaya 32:16, 17.
2. Kungani kumelwe sihlale siqaphile?
2 Ukuze sigcine lesisimo esijabulisayo, kumelwe siqaphe njalo, ngoba uSathane uDeveli uhawukela isimo sethu esingokomoya esijabulisayo nesichumayo. NjengoGogi wakwaMagogi ngokushesha uyoqalisa ukuhlasela okunamandla kubantu bakaJehova. (Hezekeli 38:8-12) Kepha akasongile neze izandla manje. Eqinisweni, ngokwazi ukuthi unesikhathi esifushane kuphela esisele, uzithukuthelele kakhulu izinceku zikaJehova manje kunanini ngaphambili.—IsAmbulo 12:12, 17.
3. Kungani uSathane ethukuthelele izinceku zikaJehova?
3 USathane ulawula lelizwe labantu abangalungile. (Efesu 2:1, 2; 1 Johane 5:19) Bonke laba bangasohlangothini lwakhe lwempikiswano enkulu yokubuswa kwendawo yonke. Banikeza impendulo eqondile ekubangeleni kukaSathane ukungabaza ukuthi bakhona yini abantu abangalondoloza ubuqotho babo kuJehova uNkulunkulu. (IzAga 27:11) Ukuthi ngisho namaKristu ayingcosana angabonakalisa uDeveli eyiqhalaqhala eliyize nomqambimanga omubi kuyamthukuthelisa. Ngakho usebenzisa wonke amacebo, konke ukuphamba kobuqili anakho ukuze anqobe lezizinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile. Ngakho-ke, “sibambene . . . nomoya bobubi emkhathini.”—Efesu 6:12.
4. Kungani kumelwe sisebenze kanzima ukuze sinqobe ubuthakathaka bethu?
4 Ngakho-ke, wenza kahle ukuzibuza, ‘ngingamelana kanjani nalesiSitha esinamandla?’ Njengoba siye sabona, sisebenzisa ubuthakathaka benyama engaphelele ukuba sicuphe amaKristu. Ngokwethu, singase singabi nabo ubuthakathaka bobuvila, kodwa singase siqhoshe. Singase singabi abazitika ezinjabulweni ezingokwenyama, kodwa singase sihahele izinzuzo ezibonakalayo. Ngakho sidinga ukusebenza kanzima ukuze sinqobe ubuthakathaka bethu, simelane noDeveli ukuze asibalekele.—Jakobe 4:7.
Izikhali Zethu Ezingokomoya
5. Kungasiphi isizathu sidinga ukuhloma izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu?
5 ISitha sethu silokhu sisebenzisa amacebo afanayo ngokuphindaphindiwe. Ngakho ngokutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu singawabona amacebo uSathane abewasebenzisa kusukela ezikhathini zeBhayibheli, futhi singafunda indlela yokumelana naye. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Hlomani izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu, ukuze nibe-namandla okumelana namaqhinga kaSathane.” Futhi wakhuthaza: “Ngakho hlomani izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu ukuze nibe-namandla okuzabalaza ngosuku olubi, nalapho senifeze konke nime.” Phawula ukuthi uPawulu ugcizelela ukuhloma “izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu.” Bekungaba ingozi ukuswela nesisodwa nje salezizikhali ezilungiselelwe phezulu, ngoba uSathane ubengakuqaphela lokho futhi ahlasele kuleyondawo engavikelekile. Lokhu bekungasho ukufa okungokomoya kithina.—Efesu 6:11, 13.
6. ‘Ukubopha izinkalo zethu ngeqiniso’ kudingani kithina?
6 Umphostoli uqala ngokusikhuthaza: “Ngakho yimani izinkalo zenu ziboshiwe ngeqiniso.” (Efesu 6:14) Ibhande lempi lezikhathi zasendulo lalingelesikhumba eliboshwa okhalweni noma enqulwini. Ngokuvamile laliba nezindondo ezincane zensimbi, ezinikeza isivikelo esenezelwe. Futhi lalisebenza njengendawo yokugaxa inkemba noma umkhonto weqhawe. Kusho ukuthini ngomKristu ukuba abophe izinkalo zakhe ngeqiniso? Ukuboshwa ngeqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu kusho ukulibamba ngokuqine kakhulu, ukuze sikwazi ukusebenzisa imiBhalo ukuba siphendule imibuzo. Njengoba ibhande lempi laliyinto yokuvikela, ngakho iqiniso liyosinikeza ukuqiniseka ukuba sithwale imithwalo yethu futhi lisivikele. Ngokuqinisekileke, ukugcina izingqondo zethu zimatasa ngeqiniso likaNkulunkulu kuyosisiza ukuba simelane noSathane.
7. Kusho ukuthini ukufaka “isivikelo sesifuba sokulunga”?
7 Ngemva kwalokho umphostoli usitshela ukuba ‘sifake isivikelo sesifuba sokulunga.’ (Efesu 6:14) Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli isivikelo sesifuba sasenziwe ngezingcwecwe zensimbi, izihlanganiso zeketango noma insimbi eqinile futhi sasisebenza ukuvikela kakhulukazi inhliziyo. Ukuze sifake lesisivikelo sesifuba sokulunga kumelwe, ngaphezu kwakho konke, ‘sigcine izinhliziyo zethu.’ (IzAga 4:23) Kulapho kuphela lapho singakwazi ukumelana noSathane ngokushukunyiselwa ukuba sikhonze uJehova futhi siphile impilo eyovimbela ukuba singabi ithonya elonakalisayo lokuziphatha phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova.—1 Petru 1:14-16.
8. Yini ehilelekile ekubeni izinyawo zethu “zigqokiswe ukulungela kukho ukushumayela ivangeli lokuthula”?
8 UPawulu ube esephawula ukuthi ‘izinyawo zethu zigqokiswe ukulungela kukho ukushumayela ivangeli lokuthula.’ (Efesu 6:15) Kubhekiselwephi lapha? Ekubeni sizigcine sikhuthele kakhulu ekushumayeleni isigijimi soMbuso ngokuthula, ngisho nanjengoba uJesu ayala abashumayeli bevangeli abangama-70: “Nakuyiphi indlu eningena kuyo, qalani nithi: Ukuthula makube-kulendlu.” (Luka 10:5) Asiyeli ukuphikisana nabantu. Kunalokho, siyela ukubalethela induduzo, injabulo, ukuthula kwengqondo nethemba. USathane uyozama ukuvusa ukuphikisa nochuku kwezinye izilaleli ukuze asibangele ukuba sisabele ngendlela efanayo. Ngakho-ke, ukuze simelane namacebo kaSathane, sidinga ukuhlakanipha nokubekezela, sibe “yikho konke kubo bonke.”—1 Korinte 9:19-23.
9. Zazinjani izihlangu nemicibisholo evuthayo yasendulo?
9 Eqhubeka, lomphostoli uyeluleka: “Nithathe isihlangu sokukholwa eniyakuba-namandla okucima ngaso yonke imicibisholo evuthayo yomubi.” (Efesu 6:16) Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe lapha ngokuthi “isihlangu” lisho esikhulu ngokwanele ukuba sivikele ingxenye enkulu yomzimba. Ngokuphathelene ‘nemicibisholo evuthayo,’ amaRoma ngezinye izikhathi ayenza imicibisholo yomhlanga enezitshana ezincane ezifakwe ikhemikhali evuthayo (naphtha). UPawulu kungenzeka wayebhekisela emicibisholweni enjalo enomlilo.
10. USathane usebenzisani ‘njengemicibisholo evuthayo’?
10 USathane uciba izinhlobonhlobo ‘zemicibisholo evuthayo’ kumaKristu. Phakathi ‘kwalemicibisholo’ kukhona ukuhlekwa, isihlamba nokuhletshwa okuqondiswa kubantu bakaNkulunkulu yizitha zabo. ‘Lemicibisholo’ futhi ingaba imizamo yabanye yokudumaza amabutho angamaKristu ngenxa yemiphumela ecatshangelwa njengemincane emsebenzini wawo enkonzweni noma ukuntuleka kwentuthuko ekunqobeni ubuthakathaka benyama. Okuhlanganisiwe futhi amazwi ahlabayo, ukubhuqa nokunindwa ngamanga. Ngezinye izikhathi, uSathane uye walimaza amaKristu ngokuvusa ukulangazelela kwawo ukwazi ngokuhlakanipha kwezwe okuhlobene nomlingo noma ukubeka izizathu ezicatshangelwayo ngesiqalo nangekusasa lomuntu. Kumelwe ugweme ngenkuthalo okunjalo “okujulileyo kukaSathane.” Ingabe uyakugwema?—IsAmbulo 2:24.
11. Ubungako nokuphumelela kwesihlangu sethu esingokomoya kuxhomekephi?
11 Ukuze sivikele izinhliziyo zethu ‘emicibisholweni evuthayo’ kaSathane, sidinga isihlangu esikhulu, esiqinile sokholo. Ukuthi siyoba esikhulu nesingenakubhoboka kangakanani kuxhomeke kithina kakhulu. Siyoba nesivikelo esidingekayo ngokwezinga esithengisisa ngalo isikhathi sokufunda somuntu siqu, sokuzindla ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu nokuhlanganyela noFakazi BakaJehova abakanye nathi. Yebo, sidinga ukusebenzisa esikufundayo, ngoba “ukukholwa ngaphandle kwemisebenzi kufile.” (Jakobe 2:26) Ngakho-ke, enye yezindlela ezingcono kakhulu yokukhulisa nokuqinisa ukholo lwethu, ngalokho sikwazi ukuma siqine iwukwenza imizamo yokuzimisela ekufakeni ukholo kwabanye.
12. Siyini isigqoko sethu esingokomoya, futhi sinayiphi inzuzo kithina?
12 UPawulu uqhubeka athi: “Namukele futhi isigqoko sensindiso.” (Efesu 6:17) Ngezikhathi zasendulo, ezinye izigqoko zazenziwa ngencema, ezinye ngelineni elithungiwe noma isikhumba futhi ezinye zenziwa ngensimbi. (1 Samuweli 17:38) Kodwa senziwe ngani isigqoko sethu esingokomoya? UPawulu watshela amaKristu aseThesalonika: “Masiqonde, sifake . . . isigqoko sibe-yithemba lokusindiswa.” (1 Thesalonika 5:8) Yebo, ithemba ngempela lingasivikela ezigalelweni nasezindukwini zikaSathane namanxusa akhe. Ithemba eliqinile elisekelwe eBhayibhelini “alijabhisi.” (Roma 5:5) Ithemba elinjalo liyosivikela ewaweni lezinto ezibonakalayo, ngoba liyosishukumisela ukuba sifune uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuqala.—Mathewu 6:33; Luka 12:31.
13. Iyini “inkemba kamoya,” futhi iyini inzuzo yayo?
13 Okokugcina, sifika kwesisodwa isikhali sethu sokuhlasela, “iNkemba kaMoya eyizwi likaNkulunkulu.” (Efesu 6:17) Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe lapha ngokuthi “inkemba” libhekisela enkembeni emfushane efana nomkhonto oyisinqindi, okusikisela ukulwela eduze. Ngolwazi oluqondile lweZwi likaNkulunkulu, singachitha futhi sinqume izimfundiso zamanga, sembule ukuntula kwazo ukuhlakanipha, futhi ikakhulu ukuphikisana kwazo nemiBhalo eNgcwele. (2 Korinte 10:4) Lokhu asikwenzi ngokuqhosha kodwa ngokuthobeka nangothando ngoNkulunkulu, iqiniso nabantu esikanye nabo. Ngokujabulisayo, ngosizo lwezincwadi zamaKristu eqiniso, singathola ‘ukubambelela ezwini lokuphila.’—Filipi 2:16.
Izimfanelo ZobuKristu Njengosizo
14. (a) Kungani singenasizathu sokuqhosha? (b) Kungani sidinga ukuthobeka ukuze simelane noSathane?
14 Ukwenezela ezikhalini zethu ezingokomoya, izimfanelo zobuKristu nazo ziyosisiza ukuba simelane noDeveli. Njengoba uSathane esebenzisa ukuqhosha, ukuba kwethu nokuthobeka nomoya wengqondo ehluzekile kuyosisiza ekulweni naye. Ngempela umKristu “angacabangi athi mkhulu kunalokho afanele ukukucabanga.” Lapho siye senza konke esikwabelwe, kumelwe sikwazi ukuthi: “Asizinceku zalutho; sikwenzile nje ebesifanele ukukwenza.” Ngaphandle kwalokho, ukuze simelane noSathane sidinga umusa kaNkulunkulu ongafanelekanga futhi ukuze siwuthole kumelwe sithobeke, ngoba “uNkulunkulu umelana nabazidlayo, kepha abathobekileyo ubapha umusa.”—Roma 12:3; Luka 17:10; Jakobe 4:6.
15. Ekumeni siqinile, ukuzithiba kunayiphi inzuzo?
15 Ukuzithiba enye imfanelo yobuKristu eyosisiza ukuba simelane noSathane. Ukuhluleka ukuthiba imizwelo yethu, enjengentukuthelo, noma ukuzitika ekudleni, ophuzweni noma ebulilini kuyosishiya sivulekele ekuhlaseleni nasekukhohliseni kukaDeveli. Lapho “sihamba . . . sonke ezinkanukweni zenyama yethu,” eqinisweni sasihamba “ngokwendlela yalelizwe, ngokombusi [uSathane uDeveli] wamandla omkhathi, ongumoya osasebenza kubantwana bokungalaleli.” (Efesu 2:1-3) Uma sivumela imicabango nemizwa yobugovu engahlanzekile, sisengozini yokubanjwa ogibeni lukaDeveli ukuba senze intando yakhe. (2 Thimothewu 2:26) Ukuze simelane naye, kumelwe siqine ekuthibeni imicabango yethu nemizwelo kanye namazwi nezenzo zethu. Kumelwe siqeqeshe izingqondo zethu ukuba zicabange ngezinto ezinhle, ezilungile, ezimhlophe nezithandekayo.—Filipi 4:8.
16. Kungani uthando olungenabugovu lungasisiza ukuba sime siqinile?
16 Uthando olungenabugovu luyosisiza ngokukhethekile ukuba simelane noSathane uDeveli. Uyashesha ukusebenzisa noma yikuphi ukuthambekela kobugovu angase akuthole kithina. Ngezinga uthando olungenabugovu olusigcina ngalo simatasa enkonzweni nasekukhulekeleni uJehova, ngalelozinga siyovikeleka ekuhlaseleni kukaSathane. Angaphumelela kanjani kithina uma sithanda uJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu, umphefumulo, ingqondo namandla? Uthando futhi lusenza ukuba sikhathalele ukusindiswa kwabanye, futhi lokhu kuyosisiza ukuba senze ukusindiswa kwethu kuqiniseke. (Marku 12:30, 31; 1 Thimothewu 4:16) Uma nje sibonisa uthando ngezindlela zalo ezihlukahlukene, uSathane nanoma yimaphi amanxusa akhe, abonakalayo noma angabonakali, ngeke bakwazi ukwenza buthakathaka ukuma kwethu ngokumelene nabo.—1 Korinte 13:4-8.
17. Kungani umkhuleko ubaluleke kangaka ekumeni kwethu siqinile?
17 Ukuze sikwazi ukumelana namacebo kaSathane, kumelwe futhi sisebenzise umkhuleko ngokugcwele. Ngani? Ngoba asinakumane sinqobe ngamandla ethu. Sidinga usizo oluvela phezulu. Ngemva kokuchaza izikhali ezingokomoya, uPawulu wakhuthaza akholwa nabo ukuba basebenzise ‘ukukhuleka konke nokunxusa, bakhuleke ngezikhathi zonke ngomoya.’ Ukuze bafeze lokhu kwakumelwe ‘balinde ngesineke sonke nangokunxusela abangcwele bonke,’ kuhlanganise nalomphostoli.—Efesu 6:18, 19.
18, 19. (a) Ukudumisa nokubonga kungasisiza kanjani? (b) Izicelo nokunxusa kubaluleke ngani?
18 “Ukukhuleka konke” kuhlanganisani? Olunye uhlobo lomkhuleko ukudumisa. Ngokuqinisekile ngokwalokho uJehova ayikho, izimfanelo zakhe nesikhundla endaweni yonke, kumfanele ukuba simdumise. (IHubo 33:1) Olunye uhlobo lokukhuleka ukubonga. Futhi yeka izizathu esinazo zokubonga kuMniki ‘wezipho zonke ezinhle neziphiwo zonke ezipheleleyo’! (Jakobe 1:17) Ngokufaneleke kakhulu, siyelulekwa, “mababonge uJehova ngomusa wakhe nangezimangaliso zakhe kubo abantwana babantu.” (IHubo 107:31) Ukuba kwethu nezinhliziyo nemiqondo enokwazisa kuyosisiza ngempela ukuba simelane noSathane.
19 Ukucela kungolunye uhlobo lomkhuleko. Singacela ngokufanelekile izinto ezinjengokuhlakanipha (Jakobe 1:5), umoya ongcwele (Luka 11:13), ukuthethelelwa izono (1 Johane 1:9; 2:1, 2) nesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu emizamweni yethu (IHubo 90:17). Kukhona futhi ukunxusa. Kubhekisela ekuncengeni uJehova uNkulunkulu ngokujulile, njengasezikhathini zokucindezeleka okukhulu noma ingozi. Kanjalo lapho uPawulu eboshiwe wacela ukuba enzelwe ukunxusa. (Efesu 6:18-20) Lezizinhlobo zomkhuleko ngokuqinisekile ziyosisiza ukuba simelane noSathane.
Zimisele Ukuma Uqinile
20, 21. Singanqoba kanjani ngokuphelele?
20 Namuhla abantu bakaJehova njengeqembu ngempela bajabulela izibusiso zepharadesi elingokomoya. Kodwa ngathi ngabanye ukuqhubeka sihlanganyela lesisimo sokubusiswa asinakukuthatha kalula. Kumelwe sihlale siqaphile, simelane neSitha sethu, uSathane uDeveli.—1 Petru 5:8, 9.
21 UDeveli unamacebo amaningi, njengoba sesibonile, futhi inhloso yakhe iwukwephula ubuqotho bethu futhi asibangele ukuba siyeke ukukhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu. Kodwa uSathane akanakusehlula uma sigcina izikhali zethu ezingokomoya zikaNkulunkulu, siqhubeka sihlakulela izithelo zomoya wakhe ezinjengothando nokuzithiba, nokuphikelela emkhulekweni. Kanjalo, ngosizo lothando oluvela kuNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova, siyohlonyiswa ngokugcwele ukuba simelane namacebo kaSathane.
Uyakhumbula?
□ Kungani uSathane ethukuthelele izinceku zikaJehova?
□ Izikhali ezingokomoya zamaKristu zihlanganisani?
□ Imiphi eminye “imicibisholo evuthayo” kaSathane, kodwa isiphi isivikelo esinaso kuyona?
□ Kungani kumelwe sithobeke ukuze simelane noDeveli?
□ Kungani umkhuleko ubaluleke kangaka ekumeni kwethu siqinile?
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Umkhuleko wasikhathi sonke uyosiza umkhaya ukuba umelane nokuhlasela kukaSathane