Melana Namaqhinga KaSathane Uqinile
“Hlomani izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu, ukuze nibe-namandla okumelana namaqhinga [ngesiGreki, “izenzo zobuqili”] kaSathane.”—EFESU 6:11.
1. Yibuphi ubufakazi bokuthi uSathane ukhona obunikezwa ukulingwa kukaJesu?
INGABE uSathane ukhona ngempela? Abanye abantu baphikisa ngokuthi eBhayibhelini, “uSathane” ubhekisela kuphela ebubini obungaphakathi kumuntu. Bayakuphika ukuba khona kwakhe njengesidalwa. Kodwa imiBhalo isitshelani? Ukulandisa kwamaVangeli kaMathewu noLuka kubonisa ukuthi uKristu Jesu walingwa uSathane ngokuqondile izikhathi ezintathu, futhi isikhathi ngasinye uJesu wamenqaba, esebenzisa umBhalo. Kungani uJesu amphendula ngemiBhalo YesiHeberu? Ngoba uSathane weza kuye eyisebenzisa kabi yona lemiBhalo ukuze amenze one futhi ahluleke njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu, iNzalo ethenjisiwe.—Mathewu 4:1-11; Luka 4:1-13.
2. Sazi kanjani ukuthi uJesu akazange nje azicabange lezimpikiswano zakhe noSathane?
2 Ngokusobala, uJesu, umuntu ophelele, akazange nje azicabange lezimpikiswano. (Heberu 4:15; 7:26) Wayebhekene nomuntu ofanayo owayengamandla ayesebenzisa inyoka e-Edene, owayengumfowabo oyingelosi owahlubuka eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili futhi manje owayephumele ukuba abhuntshise ukugcwaliseka kukaGenesise 3:15. USathane wayefuna ukwephula ubuqotho beNzalo ethenjisiwe. Ehlakaniphele izenzo zakhe zobuqili, uJesu wamenqaba ngokuqinile uMlingi. Kwaba yini ukusabela kukaSathane? “USathane eseqedé ukulinga konke wamuka kuye isikhathi.” Ngokusobala, uJesu akazange asuke kuye ngokwakhe! USathane, ehluliwe, wamshiya, “bheka, kwafika izingelosi, zamkhonza [uJesu].”—Luka 4:13; Mathewu 4:11.
3. Esinye isazi-mlando sithini ngokubaluleka kokuba khona kukaDeveli ebuKristwini?
3 Ngokunengqondo, esinye isazi-mlando sithi: “Ukwenqaba ukuba khona nokubaluleka kukaDeveli ebuKristwini kuwukuphikisana nemfundiso yabaphostoli nokuthuthuka okungokomlando kwemfundiso yobuKristu. Njengoba ukuchaza ubuKristu ngamanye amazwi ngaphandle kwalawa kungokungenangqondo ngokoqobo, akuzwakali kunengqondo ukulwela ubuKristu obukhiphela uDeveli ngaphandle. Uma uDeveli engekho, khona-ke ubuKristu bebulokhu bufe emnyombweni kusukela ekuqaleni.”a Lesosiphetho siletha inselele kunoma ubani osemhlabeni namuhla. Ingabe uyakuqaphela ukuba khona kwesitha esingabonakali esiphumele ukuphendukezela ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu nokuthembeka komuntu?
Lokho USathane Ayikho Ngempela
4. Isidalwa somoya esiphelele saba kanjani uSathane?
4 USathane uyisidalwa somoya esinamandla, esadalwa ekuqaleni uNkulunkulu njengengelosi, indodana yomoya eyayinelungelo lokungena endaweni kaJehova yasezulwini. (Jobe 1:6) Nokho, uSathane wasebenzisa inkululeko yakhe ekumelaneni noNkulunkulu; ngobuqili waholela u-Eva futhi, ngo-Eva, uAdamu, ekungalalelini nasekufeni. (2 Korinte 11:3) Ngakho, waba uSathane, okusho “iSitha”—imbuka, idemoni, umbulali wabantu, nomqambimanga. (Johane 8:44) Yeka ukuthi afaneleka kanjani amazwi kaPawulu okuthi “uSathane uqobo uziguqula ingelosi yokukhanya,” lapho eqinisweni ‘engumbusi wezwe walobubumnyama’! (2 Korinte 6:14; 11:14; Efesu 6:12) Ngokuyenga ezinye izingelosi ukuba zihlubuke, wazikhiphela ngaphandle kokukhanya kukaNkulunkulu waziletha ebumnyameni bakhe. Waba “umbusi wamademoni.” UJesu futhi wambiza ngokuthi “umbusi walelizwe.” Ngokusobala, ukuze abe umbusi, kudingeka abe khona njengomuntu womoya odaliwe.—Mathewu 9:34; 12:24-28; Johane 16:11.
5. USathane uvezwa kanjani ngokucacile emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki?
5 Nakuba uSathane engathintwa kakhulu emiBhalweni YesiHeberu, udalulwa ngokuphelele emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki—kakhulu kangangokuthi kuyona sithola igama elithi Sathane izikhathi ezingama-36 negama elithi Develi, izikhathi ezingama-33. (Qhathanisa neNW.) (Bheka iComprehensive Concordance of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.) Ubizwa futhi ngamanye amagama neziqu. Amabili kulawa asetshenziswa uJohane kusAmbulo 12:9: “Wayesephonswa phansi udrako omkhulu, inyoka endala ethiwa [uDeveli, NW] noSathane, odukisa izwe lonke.” Bheka futhi uMathewu 12:24-27; 2 Korinte 6:14, 15.
6. Iyini incazelo yegama elithi “Develi”?
6 Lapha kusAmbulo kuvela igama lesiGreki elithi di·aʹbo·los, elihunyushwe ngokuthi “uDeveli.” Ngokusho kwesazi esingumGreki uJ. H. Thayer, ngokwezwi nezwi lisho “inhlebi, omangalela ngamanga, umnyundeli.” (Qhathanisa no-1 Thimothewu 3:11; 2 Thimothewu 3:3, Kingdom Interlinear.) UW. E. Vine uchaza uDeveli “ngokuthi uyisitha esinenzondo sikaNkulunkulu nomuntu.”b
7. Kungani uSathane engagxilisa imizamo yakhe kubantu bakaJehova?
7 ISitha esikhulu siyasebenza. (1 Petru 5:8) Mhlawumbe kungalesosizathu esinye isaga sithi: “UDeveli utholela abangenamsebenzi umsebenzi ukuba bawenze.” Uphumele ukuphambukisa wonke amaKristu eqiniso. (2 Thimothewu 3:12) Futhi angagxila kubantu bakaNkulunkulu ngesizathu esisodwa esisobala—lonke izwe kakade lisemandleni akhe! (1 Johane 5:19) Izwe lanamuhla liyizwe likaSathane. Ungumbusi walo nonkulunkulu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abantu bayakuqaphela lokho noma cha. (Johane 12:31; 2 Korinte 4:4) Ngenxa yalokho, uyosebenzisa noma isiphi isenzo sobuqili noma esobunyoka noma ukusikisela ukuze aphambukise abantu bakaJehova, kungaba umuntu ngamunye noma iqembu. Ake sihlole ezinye zezindlela uSathane azisebenzisayo.—Marku 4:14, 15; Luka 8:12.
Izenzo ZikaSathane Zobunyoka Nezobuqili
8. Yini uSathane angayisebenzisa ukuze amelane nathi?
8 USathane uye waba nesikhathi eside sokufunda ukusebenza kwengqondo yomuntu, ukuhlaziya imvelo yomuntu nazo zonke izici azalwa nazo nazizuzile. Uyazi ukuthi angabusebenzisa kanjani ubuthakathaka bethu nokuzazisa kwethu. Manje, siyini isimo uma isitha sakho sazi ubuthakathaka bakho futhi wena uhluleka ukububona? Khona-ke awuhlomile ukuba uzivikele, njengoba ungazazi izimbobo ezisezikhalini zakho ezingokomoya. (1 Korinte 10:12; Heberu 12:12, 13) Yeka ukuthi afaneleka kanjani amazwi embongi yaseScotland: “O sengathi amandla athile angasinika isipho sokuba sizibone njengoba abanye besibona! Kungasikhulula eziphambekweni eziningi.”
9. Yini engaba umphumela ongajabulisi uma sihluleka ukuzihlola ngokwethu futhi sishintshe?
9 Ingabe sizimisele ukuzibona njengoba abanye besibona—ikakhulukazi njengoba uNkulunkulu noma uSathane bengase basibone? Lokhu kudinga ukuzihlola kokwethembeka nokuzihlaziya nesifiso sokwenza ushintsho. Ukuzikhohlisa kulula kakhulu. (Jakobe 1:23, 24) Yeka ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi sinezaba ezinjani zokuthethelela inkambo yethu yesenzo! (Qhathanisa no-1 Samuweli 15:13-15, 20, 21, 24.) Futhi yeka ukuthi kulula kanjani ukuthi, “Nokho, uyazi, akekho umuntu ophelele!” Lokho yikho kanye uSathane akwaziyo, futhi usebenzisa ukungapheleli kwethu. (2 Samuweli 11:2-27) Yeka ukuthi kudabukisa kanjani ukufinyelela iminyaka yokuqina bese uqaphele ukuthi ngenxa yendlela yakho yobushiqela, yokuswela ubuntu, noma yonya oye wasebenzelana ngayo nabanye eminyakeni edlule, uye waba ongenabangane; noma ukuqaphela ukuthi uye wenza okuncane kakhulu noma awenzanga lutho lokujabulisa abanye abantu. USathane kungenzeka uye wasihola ngobunyoka kukho konke ukuphila kwethu esebenzisa ubugovu bethu esazalwa nabo ukuba asiphuphuthekise. Siye sahluleka ukubamba izimfanelo zomqondo ongokoqobo kaKristu—uthando, uzwela, nomusa.—1 Johane 4:8, 11, 20.
10. Imiphi imibuzo esingase sizibuze yona, futhi ngani?
10 Ngakho-ke, ukuze simelane noSathane, kumelwe sizihlole. Ingabe unobuthakathaka uSathane angabusebenzisa noma abusebenzisayo manje? Ingabe unenkinga yokuzazisa? Ingabe ngaso sonke isikhathi kumelwe kube uwena ocatshangelwa kuqala? Ingabe ukuzazisa kuyisisusa sakho esisithekile? Ingabe umhawu, umona, noma uthando lwemali luphendukezela ubuntu bakho? Ingabe unochuku? Ingabe awubakhathaleli noma awubethembi abanye abantu? Noma ingabe uyacasuka yini lapho unikezwa ukusikisela okuthile noma uboniswa amaphutha? Ingabe uyasizonda noma ngisho usenqabe iseluleko? Uma sizazi, singazilungisa izinkinga ezinjalo, uma kuphela sithobekile. Ngaphandle kwalokho, sizishiya sivulekele uSathane.—1 Thimothewu 3:6, 7; Heberu 12:7, 11; 1 Petru 5:6-8.
11. Yiziphi izindlela zobunyoka uSathane angazama ngazo ukwehlisa ingokomoya lethu?
11 USathane futhi angalehlisa ingokomoya lethu ngendlela esithekile, yomshoshaphansi. Mhlawumbe siyayicasukela indlela izinto ezenziwa ngayo ebandleni noma enhlanganweni. Ngokuvamile asinawo wonke amaqiniso, kodwa sifinyelela eziphethweni ngokushesha. Urna ubuhlobo bethu noJehova bubuthakathaka, khona-ke kulula ukuba nombono ophambene nokungabaza ngeqiniso. Abanye bangase bafune indlela yokuzithethelela ukuze baphume emithwalweni yemfanelo ehilelwa iqiniso. Khona-ke uSathane ubeka ukungathembeki nokwambuka ezinhliziyweni zabo. Ngokushesha baba izisulu zokuhlubuka, abese ejabula uSathane.—Luka 22:3-6; Johane 13:2, 27; 2 Johane 9-11.
12. (a) USathane uye wabafaka kanjani abanye isibindi? (b) USathane ubalingela kanjani abaningi ekuziphatheni okubi?
12 Abanye uSathane akabaniki isibindi sokuba benze izono ezingathi sina ezenza bafanelekele ukususwa ekuhlanganyeleni kuphela kodwa ukuba baphendukele ngisho nasemangeni nasekukhohliseni ukuze bazame ukukhohlisa abadala bebandla. NjengoAnaniya noSafira, bacabanga ukuthi bangakhohlisa nezingelosi nomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. (IzEnzo 5:1-10) Izinkulungwane eziningi eminyakeni yamuva ziye zawela ogibeni lukaSathane lokuziphatha okubi. UDeveli uyazi ukuthi inkanuko yesintu yobulili inamandla kakhulu, futhi ngesimiso sakhe salelizwe, uqokomisa, aphendukezele, futhi ahlanekezele indima yobulili. (Numeri 25:1-3) AmaKristu angashadile angase alingelwe ekuhlobongeni noma kwezinye izindlela zokusebenzisa kabi ubulili. (IzAga 7:6-23) Uma amaKristu ashadile evumela izingqondo zawo nezinhliziyo ukuba zizule, angawela kalula ekuziphatheni kokungathembeki, akhohlise umlingane afunga ukwethembeka kuye.—1 Korinte 6:18; 7:1-5; Heberu 13:4.
13. (a) Ithelevishini ingakulolonga kanjani ukucabanga kwethu? (b) Singamelana kanjani nethonya elinjalo?
13 Siphila ezweni lapho amanga, inkohliso, nentukuthelo yobudlova kuyinsakavukela. USathane uyisebenzisa ngokugcwele imithombo yezindaba ukuba adlulisele lesimo sengqondo esonakele. Imidlalo ewuchungechunge yethelevishini iveza abantu abahle ababukekayo abaphila ngokukhohlisana. Uma sivumela lokho kucabanga ukuba kusithonye, ngokushesha singase siqale ukuvumela izono ‘ezincane,’ eziba isiqalo sezono “ezinkulu.” Ukusikisela kukaSathane kobunyoka kungazingenisa ngokwakho kalula ekucabangeni kwethu. Singamelana kanjani namathonya anjalo? Ungalokothi ‘unike uSathane indawo,’ njengoba uPawulu eluleka. Lokho kusho futhi ukulawula noma ubani omvumela angene endlini yakho ngethelevishini. Akufanele yini sizonde ukungena kwabantu abanobudlova, abaziphatha kabi, abanenhlamba abaletha ukungcola ezindlini zethu zokuhlala?—Efesu 4:23-32.
Singamelana Kanjani NoSathane Futhi Sihlale Sithembekile KuNkulunkulu?
14. Yikuphi ukuzimisela okukabili okudingekile ukuze simelane noSathane, futhi lokhu kudingani?
14 Njengoba sinesitha esinjalo esinamandla, esingaphezu kwabantu esiphumele ukumelana nathi esiyizidalwa ezingabantu abangaphelele, singabugcina kanjani ubuqotho bethu? Isihluthulelo sitholakala emazwini kaJakobe: “Ngakho thobelani uNkulunkulu, kepha nimelane noSathane, khona uyakunibalekela.” (Jakobe 4:7) Qaphela ukuthi iseluleko sikaJakobe simbaxa-mbili. Lapho simelana noSathane nentando yakhe, kumelwe sizithobe entandweni kaNkulunkulu. Lokho kuhilela ukuthanda intando kaNkulunkulu nokuzonda ekaSathane. (Roma 12:9) Ngakho, uJakobe uthi: “Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, khona uyakusondela kinina. Hlanzani izandla nina-zoni, nihlambulule izinhliziyo nina-bonhliziyombili.” (Jakobe 4:8) Yebo, ekumelaneni kwethu noSathane, akumelwe sibe nhliziyo-mbili futhi sibe manqikanqika. Asinakukwazi ukubeka ubuqotho bethu engozini ngokubona ukuthi singasondela eduze kangakanani nomugqa osihlukanisa nobubi. Kumelwe ‘sizonde okubi’ ngokuphelele.—IHubo 97:10.
15. Kungani kudingeka “izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu”? Bonisa.
15 Iseluleko esivelele sokumelana noSathane sitholakala kwabase-Efesu isahluko 6. UPawulu uthi singamelana kanjani “nobuqili,” “amacebo,” noma “amasu” kaSathane? (Efesu 6:12, Phillips, New International Version, The Jerusalem Bible) “Hlomani izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu,” uyeluleka. Lamazwi at hi “izikhali zonke” awasivumeli isimo sobudlabha ngobuKristu, njengoba nje nesosha elingumRoma lalingenakukuvumela ukuba libe elinganaki lapho lilungiselela impi. Lalingaphumelela kanjani isosha uma lihlome ngazo zonke izikhali ngaphandle kwesihlangu nesigqoko? Lalingacabanga, ‘Lesi ngempela isihlangu esikhulu, futhi nesigqoko sisinda kakhulu. Kokubili kusinda kakhulu, futhi angikudingi ngempela.’ Cabanga ngalesimo—isosha elingumRoma lihlomele ukulwa kodwa lingenazo izinto zalo ezibalulekile zokuzivikela.—Efesu 6:16, 17.
16. (a) Kumelwe silandele kanjani esibonelweni sikaJesu ekusebenziseni “inkemba” yethu? (b) Singaqhubeka kanjani sixwaya “imicibisholo evuthayo” kaSathane, futhi namuphi umphumela?
16 Cabanga futhi, ngesosha elingenayo inkemba. “Inkemba kamoya” iyisivikelo esihle kakhulu, njengoba isetshenziswa ekuphebezeni izikhali uSathane azisebenzisa kumKristu. “Inkemba” yethu kufanele ngaso sonke isikhathi ihlale iseduze. Kuyoba ngaleyondlela uma singasidebeseleli isifundo sethu seBhayibheli somuntu siqu nesomkhaya. Kodwa okubaluleke kakhulu, ‘lenkemba, iZwi likaNkulunkulu’ iyisikhali sethu sokuhlasela. UJesu wayisebenzisa ngazo zombili izindlela. (Mathewu 4:6, 7, 10; 22:41-46) Nathi kumelwe senze okufanayo. Kumelwe siqhubeke sikhulisa ukwazisa kwethu ngeqiniso. Asinakukwazi ukulondoloza ingokomoya lethu ngesisekelo salokho esakufunda ezinyangeni noma eminyakeni yethu yokuqala siseqinisweni. Uma sihluleka ukuvuselela imithombo engokomoya yamandla engqondo yethu, umbono wethu ongokomoya ubungafiphala. Intshiseko yethu ngokukhulekelwa kukaJehova kweqiniso ingancipha. Singaba buthakathaka ngokomoya. Besingeke sikwazi ukumelana nokuhlasela kwezihlobo, abangane, nezihlubuki ezingazigxeka ngokweyisa izinkolelo zethu. Kodwa uNkulunkulu uyosisindisa kuDeveli ‘nemicibisholo’ yakhe ‘evuthayo’ uma siqhubeka sizihIomisa ‘ngezikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu.’—Isaya 35:3, 4.
17, 18. Ukulwa kwethu kumelene nobani, futhi singanqoba kanjani?
17 Yebo, uPawulu wagcizelela ingozi ehilelekile empini yamaKristu lapho ebhala: “Ngokuba impi yethu ayimelene nezitha ezingabantu, kodwa namandla omkhathi, neziphathimandla nababusi abanamandla balelizwe lobumnyama, namandla obubi asezulwini angaphezu kwawabantu.” (Efesu 6:12, The New English Bible) Thina bantu esiphansi kangaka singamelana kanjani futhi sinqobe empini enjalo engengangathi? UPawulu ugcizelela iphuzu lakhe: “Ngakho hlomani izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu ukuba nibe-namandla okuzabalaza ngosuku olubi, nalapho senifeze konke, nime.” (Efesu 6:13) Amazwi ayisihluthulelo yilawa: “Nalapho senifezé konke.” Lokhu futhi akubuvumeli ubuKristu obunhliziyo-mbili noma obungagxilile.—1 Johane 2:15-17.
18 Ngakho-ke, masime siqinile eqinisweni, sithande ukulunga kukaJehova, sishumayele izindaba ezinhle zokuthula, sibambelele ngokholo oluqinile ensindisweni uJehova ayinikeza ngoKristu Jesu, kuyilapho sincika eZwini likaNkulunkulu njengodondolo lwethu. (Efesu 6:14-17) Khumbula, uNkulunkulu uyasinakekela, futhi uyosisiza ukuba sinqobe izilingo nokukhathazeka esihlangabezana nakho esimisweni sikaSathane sezinto. Sengathi sonke singasilalela lesixwayiso: “Qondani, nilinde. Isitha senu, uSathane, siyahamba njengebhubesi elibhodlayo sifuna esingamgwinya.” Yebo, “melanani naye niqinile ekukholweni.”—1 Petru 5:6-9.
19. (a) Yiliphi ilungiselelo elengeziwe elibalulekile okumelwe silisebenzise ukuze simelane noSathane? (b) Yini eyokwenzeka kuSathane ekugcineni?
19 Masingakhohlwa futhi ukunezela kukaPawulu okubalulekile ‘ezikhalini ezingokomoya.’ Uthi: “Ngokukhuleka konke nokunxusa, nikhuleka ngezikhathi zonke ngoMoya; kulokho nilinde ngesineke sonke nangokunxusela abangcwele bonke.” (Efesu 6:18) Isitha sethu esingabonakali sinamandla kangangokuba sidinga ‘ukukhuleka konke nokunxusa.’ Khona-ke, yeka ukuthi imithandazo yethu kumelwe ibe eqotho nehlukahluke kangakanani! Ukuncika kwethu ngokuphelele kuJehova kubalulekile ukuze sinqobe ekulweni futhi silondoloze ubuqotho. Uyena kuphela ongasinikeza ‘amandla amakhulu kakhulu’ ayosenza sikwazi ukumelana nesitha sethu esingakhathali. Yeka ukuthi kududuza kanjani ukwazi ukuthi iSitha sethu esikhulu ngokushesha sizophonswa kwalasha futhi ekugcineni siyobhujiswa phakade!—2 Korinte 4:7; IsAmbulo 20:1-3, 10.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Satan—The Early Christian Tradition, kaJeffrey Burton Russell, ikhasi 25.
b An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.
Ingabe Ungaphendula?
◻ Sazi kanjani ukuthi uSathane ungumuntu ongokoqobo?
◻ Kungani amanye amagama kaSathane neziqu kufaneleka?
◻ Ikuphi ukuzihlola okungase kusisize ukuba simelane nokuhlasela kukaSathane kobunyoka?
◻ Yisiphi iseluleko esiyosisiza ukuba sinqobe uSathane, futhi ngani?
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
Enye indlela yokumelana nethonya likaSathane iwukuba nobungane, ukuba usizo, nokuba nothando
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Kufanele sixwaye ukuba njengoAnaniya noSafira, abavumela uSathane
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Ukuze siphebeze imicibisholo kaSathane, asinakushiya noma iyiphi ingxenye yezikhali zethu ezingokomoya