“Funani UJehova Namandla Akhe”

“Ngokuba amehlo kaJehova aqalaza emhlabeni wonke ukuba abe namandla kwabanhliziyo yabo iphelele kuye.”—2 IZIKRONIKE 16:9.

1. Ayini amandla, futhi abantu baye bawasebenzisa kanjani?

ELITHI amandla lingasho izinto eziningi, njengamandla okulawula, igunya, noma ithonya phezu kwabanye; ikhono lokwenza noma lokubangela okuthile; amandla angokomzimba (izikhwepha); noma amandla engqondo noma okuziphatha. Abantu abanawo umlando omuhle endabeni yokusebenzisa amandla. Lapho sikhuluma ngamandla abezombangazwe, isazi-mlando uLord Acton sathi: “Amandla athambekele ekukhohlakaliseni futhi amandla aphelele onakalisa ngokuphelele.” Umlando wanamuhla ugcwele izibonelo ezibonisa ukuba yiqiniso kwamazwi kaLord Acton ezimweni eziningi. Phakathi nekhulu lama-20, ‘umuntu uye wabusa omunye kwaba ngukulimala kwakhe’ ukudlula noma nini ngaphambili. (UmShumayeli 8:9) Omashiqela abakhohlakele baye bawasebenzisa kabi kakhulu amandla abo futhi baye babulala izigidi zabantu. Amandla angalawulwa uthando, ukuhlakanipha nobulungisa ayingozi.

2. Chaza ukuthi ezinye izimfanelo zaphezulu ziyithinta kanjani indlela uJehova asebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe.

² Ngokungafani nabantu abaningi, uNkulunkulu ngaso sonke isikhathi uwasebenzisela okuhle amandla akhe. “Amehlo kaJehova aqalaza emhlabeni wonke ukuba abe namandla kwabanhliziyo yabo iphelele kuye.” (2 IziKronike 16:9) UJehova usebenzisa amandla akhe ngendlela elawuliwe. Isineke sibamba uNkulunkulu ukuba angabhubhisi ababi ukuze abanike ithuba lokuphenduka. Uthando lumshukumisela ukuba enze ilanga likhanye kuzo zonke izinhlobo zabantu—abalungile nabangalungile. Ubulungisa buyomshukumisela ukuba ekugcineni asebenzise amandla akhe angalinganiselwe ukuze abhubhise lowo onendlela yokubangela ukufa, uSathane uDeveli.—Mathewu 5:44, 45; Heberu 2:14; 2 Petru 3:9.

3. Kungani amandla kaNkulunkulu adlula wonke eyisizathu sokumethemba?

³ Amandla esabekayo kaBaba wethu wasezulwini ayisizathu sokuba simethembe futhi siqiniseke—ngezithembiso zakhe nangesivikelo sakhe. Ingane encane izizwa iphephile phakathi kwabantu engabazi lapho inkonkoshela isandla sikayise, ngoba iyazi ukuthi uyise ngeke avumele lutho olulimazayo lusondele kuyo. Ngokufanayo, uBaba wethu osezulwini, ‘onamandla okusindisa,’ uyosivikela kunoma yikuphi ukulimala okuhlala njalo uma sihamba naye. (Isaya 63:1; Mika 6:8) Futhi njengoBaba omuhle, uJehova uyazifeza njalo izithembiso zakhe. Amandla akhe angalinganiselwe ayaqinisekisa ukuthi ‘izwi lakhe liyophumelela kulokhu alithumele kukho.’—Isaya 55:11; Thithu 1:2.

4, 5. (a) Waba yini umphumela lapho iNkosi u-Asa ithembela ngokugcwele kuJehova? (b) Yini engase yenzeke uma sethembela emakhambini abantu mayelana nezinkinga zethu?

⁴ Kungani kubaluleke kangaka ukuba sizimisele ukungalahlekelwa umbono wesivikelo sikaBaba wethu osezulwini? Ngoba kungenzeka ukuba sixakwe yizimo kakhulu kangangokuba sikhohlwe ukuthi kutholakalaphi ukulondeka kwethu kwangempela. Lokhu kubonakala esibonelweni seNkosi u-Asa, indoda ngokuvamile eyayithembela kuJehova. Phakathi nokubusa kuka-Asa, uJuda wahlaselwa yimpi yabaseTopiya eyayinamabutho ayisigidi. Lapho ebona ukuthi izitha zakhe zazinamathuba angcono okunqoba kule mpi, u-Asa wathandaza: “Jehova, akakho ngaphandle  kwakho ongasiza phakathi konamandla amakhulu nongenawo; sisize, Jehova Nkulunkulu wethu, ngokuba sencika kuwe, sifike ngegama lakho kulesi sixuku. Jehova, wena unguNkulunkulu wethu, mawungahlulwa muntu.” (2 IziKronike 14:11) UJehova wenza ngokuvumelana nesicelo sika-Asa wamnika ukunqoba okuwujuqu.

⁵ Nokho, ngemva kokukhonza ngokwethembeka iminyaka eminingi, u-Asa wayeka ukuthembela emandleni kaJehova okusindisa. Ukuze asuse usongo lwempi yombuso wakwa-Israyeli wasenyakatho, wacela usizo eSiriya (e-Aramu). (2 IziKronike 16:1-3) Nakuba ukufumbathisa kwakhe inkosi yaseSiriya uBenihadadi kwalususa usongo luka-Israyeli kuJuda, isivumelwano sika-Asa neSiriya sabonisa ukuthi wayesentula ukwethembela kuJehova. UHanani umprofethi wambuza ngokungagwegwesi: “AmaKushe [abaseTopiya] namaLubi ayengesiyo impi enkulu yini, inezinqola nabamahhashi abaningi kakhulu na? Kepha ngenxa yokwencika kwakho kuJehova wawanikela esandleni sakho.” (2 IziKronike 16:7, 8) Nokho, u-Asa akakulalelanga lokhu kusolwa. (2 IziKronike 16:9-12) Lapho sibhekene nezinkinga, masingathembeli emakhambini abantu. Kunalokho, masibonise ukwethembela kuNkulunkulu, ngoba ukwethembela emandleni abantu nakanjani kuyoholela ekudumaleni.—IHubo 146:3-5.

Funa Amandla Anikezwa NguJehova

6. Kungani kufanele ‘sifune uJehova namandla akhe’?

⁶ UJehova anganikeza izinceku zakhe amandla futhi azivikele. IBhayibheli lisinxusa ukuba ‘sifune uJehova namandla akhe.’ (IHubo 105:4) Ngani? Ngoba lapho senza izinto ngamandla kaNkulunkulu, amandla ethu ayosetshenziselwa ukuzuzisa abanye, kunokubalimaza. Asikho esinye isibonelo esingcono esingasithola kunesikaJesu Kristu, owenza izimangaliso eziningi ‘ngamandla kaJehova.’ (Luka 5:17) UJesu wayengazinikela ekutholeni ingcebo, udumo noma ngisho ekubeni yinkosi enamandla amakhulu. (Luka 4:5-7) Kunalokho, wasebenzisa amandla uNkulunkulu amnika wona ukuze aqeqeshe futhi afundise, ukuze asize futhi elaphe. (Marku 7:37; Johane 7:46) Yeka isibonelo esihle kithi!

7. Iyiphi imfanelo ebalulekile esiyihlakulelayo lapho senza izinto ngamandla kaNkulunkulu kunangawethu?

⁷ Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho senza izinto ‘ngezikhwepha ezinikezwa nguNkulunkulu,’ lokhu kuyosisiza sihlale sithobekile. (1 Petru 4:11) Abantu abazifunela amandla baba abagabadelayo. Isibonelo yiNkosi yase-Asiriya u-Esari Hadoni eyaqhosha yathi: “Nginamandla, nginamandla amakhulu, ngiyiqhawe, ngiwumdondoshiya, ngimkhulu ngokwesabekayo.” Ngokuphambene, uJehova “wakhetha izinto ezibuthakathaka zezwe, ukuze ahlazise izinto ezinamandla.” Ngakho, uma umKristu weqiniso eqhosha, uqhosha ngoJehova, ngoba uyazi ukuthi lokho akwenzile akakufezanga ngamandla akhe siqu. ‘Ukuzithoba ngaphansi kwesandla sikaNkulunkulu esinamandla’ kuyoletha ukuphakanyiswa kweqiniso.—1 Korinte 1:26-31; 1 Petru 5:6.

8. Yini okumelwe siyenze kuqala ukuze sithole amandla kaJehova?

⁸ Siwathola kanjani amandla kaNkulunkulu? Okokuqala, kumelwe siwacele ngomthandazo. UJesu waqinisekisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi uYise wayeyobanika umoya ongcwele labo abawucelayo. (Luka 11:10-13) Cabanga indlela lokhu okwabaqinisa ngayo abafundi bakaKristu lapho bekhetha ukulalela uNkulunkulu kunabaholi benkolo ababebayale ukuba bayeke ukufakaza  ngoJesu. Lapho bethandazela usizo lukaJehova, umthandazo wabo oqotho waphendulwa, futhi umoya ongcwele wabanika amandla okuqhubeka beshumayela izindaba ezinhle ngesibindi.—IzEnzo 4:19, 20, 29-31, 33.

9. Yisho umthombo wesibili wamandla angokomoya nesibonelo esingokomBhalo esibonisa ukusebenza kwawo.

⁹ Okwesibili, amandla angokomoya singawathola eBhayibhelini. (Heberu 4:12) Amandla ezwi likaNkulunkulu abonakala ngezinsuku zeNkosi uJosiya. Nakuba le nkosi yaseJudiya yayisizisusile kakade izithombe ezweni, ukutholakala koMthetho kaJehova ngokungalindelekile ethempelini kwayishukumisela ukuba iqinise lesi simiso sokuhlanza. * Ngemva kokuba uJosiya ebafundele mathupha abantu uMthetho, isizwe sonke senza isivumelwano noJehova, futhi kwaqalwa umkhankaso wesibili, owawunomdlandla ngokwengeziwe, wokususa ukukhulekelwa kwezithombe. Umphumela omuhle wezinguquko ezenziwa uJosiya waba ukuthi phakathi nazo “zonke izinsuku zakhe abasukanga ekumlandeleni uJehova uNkulunkulu.”—2 IziKronike 34:33.

10. Iyiphi indlela yesithathu yokuthola amandla kuJehova, futhi kungani ibalulekile?

¹⁰ Okwesithathu, sithola amandla kuJehova ngobudlelwane bobuKristu. UPawulu wakhuthaza amaKristu ukuba abe khona njalo emihlanganweni ukuze ‘avuselelane othandweni nasemisebenzini emihle’ futhi akhuthazane. (Heberu 10:24, 25) Lapho uPetru ekhishwa ngokuyisimangaliso ejele, wayefuna ukuba nabafowabo, ngakho waqonda ngqó endlini kanina kaJohane Marku, lapho “abaningana babebuthene khona ndawonye futhi bethandaza.” (IzEnzo 12:12) Yebo, bonke babengavele bazihlalele emakhaya abo bazithandazele. Kodwa bakhetha ukuhlangana ndawonye ukuze bathandaze futhi bakhuthazane phakathi naleso sikhathi esasinzima. Ngasekupheleni kohambo lukaPawulu olude nolunezingozi lokuya eRoma, wahlangana nabazalwane abathile ePhutheyoli futhi kamuva wahlangana nabanye ababezomhlangabeza. Wasabela kanjani? “Lapho ebabona [laba bakamuva], uPawulu wabonga uNkulunkulu futhi wama isibindi.” (IzEnzo 28:13-15) Kwamqinisa ukuphinda abe namaKristu akanye nawo. Nathi singathola amandla ebudlelwaneni namaKristu esikanye nawo. Uma nje sisakhululekile futhi sisakwazi ukuhlangana ndawonye, akumelwe sizame ukuhamba sodwa emgwaqweni owumngcingo oholela ekuphileni.—IzAga 18:1; Mathewu 7:14.

11. Yisho ezinye zezimo lapho “amandla angaphezu kwavamile” edingeka khona ngokukhethekile.

¹¹ Ngokuthandaza njalo, ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu nokuzihlanganisa nesikholwa nabo, ‘siyaqhubeka sizuza amandla eNkosini nasebukhulwini bezikhwepha zayo.’ (Efesu 6:10) Sonke ngokungangabazeki siyawadinga “amandla eNkosini.” Abanye banezifo ezithena amandla, abanye banezifo zokuguga, abanye baye balahlekelwa abangane bomshado. (IHubo 41:3) Abanye bakhuthazelela ukuphikiswa umngane womshado ongakholwa. Abazali, ikakhulukazi abangabodwa, bangase bathole ukuthi ukusebenza isikhathi esigcwele bebe bekhulisa izingane kuwumthwalo wemfanelo okhandlayo. AmaKristu asemasha adinga amandla okumelana nokucindezela kontanga futhi enqabe izidakamizwa nokuziphatha okubi. Akekho okufanele abe manqikanqika ukucela kuJehova “amandla angaphezu kwavamile” ukuze abhekane nezinselele ezinjalo.—2 Korinte 4:7.

‘Upha Oyethileyo Amandla’

12. UJehova usisekela kanjani enkonzweni yobuKristu?

¹² Ngaphezu kwalokhu, uJehova unikeza izinceku zakhe amandla lapho zifeza inkonzo yazo. Esiprofethweni sika-Isaya siyafunda: “Nguye omupha oyethileyo amandla, nakongenamandla uyandisa izikhwepha. . . . Abamethemba uJehova bayathola amandla amasha, bayakhuphuka ngamaphiko njengezinkozi, bagijime bengakhathali bahambe bengapheli amandla.” (Isaya 40:29-31) Umphostoli uPawulu wathola amandla okwenza inkonzo yakhe. Ngenxa yalokho, inkonzo yakhe yaphumelela. Wabhalela amaKristu aseThesalonika: “Izindaba ezinhle esizishumayelayo azivelanga phakathi kwenu ngenkulumo yodwa kodwa futhi ngamandla nangomoya ongcwele.” (1 Thesalonika 1:5) Ukushumayela nokufundisa kwakhe kwakunamandla abangela izinguquko ezinkulu ekuphileni kwalabo ababemlalela.

13. Yini eyaqinisa uJeremiya ukuba akhuthazele naphezu kokuphikiswa?

 ¹³ Lapho singanakwa ensimini yethu—insimu okungenzeka sesineminyaka sishumayela kuyo ngokuphindaphindiwe kungabi nakusabela okutheni—singase sidangale. NoJeremiya wazizwa edangaliswe ukuphikiswa, ukuhlekwa usulu nokunganakwa. Wazitshela ukuthi: “Angisayikumkhumbula [uNkulunkulu], ngingasakhulumi egameni lakhe.” Kodwa akakwazanga ukuthula. Umyalezo wakhe waba “njengomlilo oshisayo, uvalelwe emathanjeni [akhe].” (Jeremiya 20:9) Yini eyamnika amandla avuselelwe lapho ebhekene nosizi olungaka? UJeremiya wathi: “UJehova unami njengeqhawe elesabisayo.” (Jeremiya 20:11) Ukuqonda kukaJeremiya ukubaluleka okukhulu komyalezo wakhe nesabelo ayesinikwe nguNkulunkulu kwamenza wasabela esikhuthazweni sikaJehova.

Amandla Okulimaza Namandla Okwelapha

14. (a) Ulimi luyithuluzi elinamandla kangakanani? (b) Nikeza izibonelo ezibonisa umonakalo ongenziwa ulimi.

¹⁴ Akuwona wonke amandla esinawo avela ngokuqondile kuNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, ulimi lunamandla okulimaza kanye nawokwelapha. “Ukufa nokuphila kusemandleni olimi,” kuxwayisa uSolomoni. (IzAga 18:21) Imiphumela yengxoxo emfushane phakathi kukaSathane no-Eva ibonisa izinga lomonakalo ongadalwa amazwi. (Genesise 3:1-5; Jakobe 3:5) Nathi singadala umonakalo omkhulu ngolimi. Amazwi ajivazayo mayelana nokukhuluphala kwentombazanyana angayenza iqale ukuba ne-anorexia. Ukuphinda inhlebo ethile ewukunyundela kungase konakalise ubungane osebunesikhathi eside. Yebo, ulimi ludinga ukulawulwa.

15. Singalusebenzisa kanjani ulimi lwethu ukuze sakhe futhi selaphe?

¹⁵ Nokho, ulimi lungakha futhi lungabhidliza. Isaga seBhayibheli sithi: “Bakhona abaphahluka njengokuhlaba kwenkemba, kepha izilimi zabahlakaniphileyo ziyimpiliso.” (IzAga 12:18) AmaKristu ahlakaniphile asebenzisa amandla olimi ukuze aduduze abacindezelekile nabashonelwe. Amazwi anozwela angakhuthaza abasha ababhekene nokucindezela kontanga okulimazayo. Ulimi olusetshenziswa ngokucabanga lungaqinisekisa abazalwane nodade asebekhulile ukuthi sisabadinga futhi sisabathanda. Amazwi anomusa angabenza bazizwe kangcono abagulayo. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, singasebenzisa ulimi lwethu ukuze sihlanganyele isigijimi soMbuso esinamandla nabo bonke abalalelayo. Singaba nawo amandla okumemezela iZwi likaNkulunkulu uma izinhliziyo zethu zikulo. IBhayibheli lithi: “Ungagodleli abaninikho okuhle, lapho kusemandleni esandla sakho ukukwenza.”—IzAga 3:27.

 Ukusebenzisa Amandla Ngendlela Efanele

16, 17. Besebenzisa igunya abalinikwe nguNkulunkulu, bangamlingisa kanjani uJehova abadala, abazali, abayeni namakhosikazi?

¹⁶ Nakuba engumninimandla onke, uJehova ubusa ibandla ngothando. (1 Johane 4:8) Belingisa yena, ababonisi abangamaKristu banakekela umhlambi kaNkulunkulu ngothando—belisebenzisa kahle, hhayi kabi, igunya labo. Yiqiniso, ababonisi ngezinye izikhathi kudingeka ‘basole, bakhuze, bakhuthaze,’ kodwa lokhu bakwenza “ngakho konke ukubhekakade nobuciko bokufundisa.” (2 Thimothewu 4:2) Ngakho abadala bazindla njalo ngamazwi umphostoli uPetru awabhalela labo abanegunya ebandleni: “Yalusani umhlambi kaNkulunkulu ongaphansi kokunakekela kwenu, kungabi ngokucindezelwa, kodwa ngokuzithandela; futhi kungabi ngenxa yothando lwenzuzo yokungathembeki, kodwa ngokulangazela; futhi kungabi ngokuzenza izingqongqo phezu kwalabo abayifa likaNkulunkulu, kodwa ngokuba yizibonelo emhlambini.”—1 Petru 5:2, 3; 1 Thesalonika 2:7, 8.

¹⁷ Abazali nabayeni nabo banegunya abalinikwe nguJehova, futhi la mandla kufanele asetshenziselwe ukusiza, ukukhuthaza nokwazisa. (Efesu 5:22, 28-30; 6:4) Isibonelo sikaJesu sibonisa ukuthi igunya lingasetshenziswa ngokuphumelelayo ngendlela enothando. Uma isiyalo silinganisela futhi singaguquguquki, izingane azidangali. (Kolose 3:21) Imishado iyaqina lapho abayeni abangamaKristu bebusebenzisa ngothando ubunhloko babo futhi amakhosikazi ezihlonipha ngokujulile izinhloko ezingabayeni bawo kunokuba abayeni beqele ngale kwemingcele abayibekelwe nguNkulunkulu ngokubusa ngokhahlo noma, amakhosikazi, afune kwenziwe intando yawo.—Efesu 5:28, 33; 1 Petru 3:7.

18. (a) Kufanele sisilingise kanjani isibonelo sikaJehova ekulawuleni intukuthelo yethu? (b) Yini okufanele bazame ukuyikhuthaza labo abanegunya kulabo ababanakekelayo?

¹⁸ Labo abanegunya emkhayeni nasebandleni kufanele baqaphele ngokukhethekile ukuba balawule intukuthelo yabo, ngoba intukuthelo ibangela ukwesaba esikhundleni sothando. Umprofethi uNahume wathi: “UJehova wephuza ukuthukuthela, mkhulu ngamandla.” (Nahume 1:3; Kolose 3:19) Ukulawula intukuthelo yethu kuwuphawu lwamandla, kanti ukuyidedela kuwubufakazi bokuba buthakathaka. (IzAga 16:32) Kokubili emkhayeni nasebandleni, umgomo uwukukhuthaza uthando—uthando ngoJehova, uthando ngomunye nomunye nothando ngezimiso ezilungile. Uthando luyisibopho sobunye esiqine kunazo zonke nesisusa esinamandla kunazo zonke sokwenza okulungile.—1 Korinte 13:8, 13; Kolose 3:14.

19. Yisiphi isiqinisekiso esiduduzayo uJehova asinikezayo, futhi kufanele sisabele kanjani?

¹⁹ Ukwazi uJehova kuwukuqaphela amandla akhe. Ngomprofethi u-Isaya, uJehova wathi: “Awazi yini? Awuzwanga na? UJehova unguNkulunkulu ongunaphakade; udalile imikhawulo yomhlaba; akapheli amandla, akakhathali.” (Isaya 40:28) Amandla kaJehova awanakuphela. Uma sithembela kuye, hhayi kithi ngokwethu, ngeke asilahle. Uyasiqinisekisa: “Ungesabi, ngokuba mina nginawe; ungapheli amandla, ngokuba mina nginguNkulunkulu wakho; ngiyakuqinisa, futhi ngiyakusiza, yebo, ngiyakusekela ngesandla sokunene sokulunga kwami.” (Isaya 41:10) Kufanele sisabele kanjani ekunakekeleni kwakhe kothando? NjengoJesu, ngaso sonke isikhathi masisebenzise noma yimaphi amandla uJehova asinika wona ukuze sisize futhi sakhe abanye. Kwangathi singalulawula ulimi lwethu ukuze lwelaphe kunokuba lulimaze. Futhi kwangathi singahlala njalo siphapheme ngokomoya, sime siqinile okholweni, futhi sibe namandla avela kuMdali wethu Omkhulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu.—1 Korinte 16:13.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ungachaza?

• UJehova uwasebenzisa kanjani amandla akhe?

• Yiziphi izindlela esingawathola ngazo amandla kaJehova?

• Kufanele asetshenziswe kanjani amandla olimi?

• Igunya elinikezwe nguNkulunkulu lingaba kanjani yisibusiso?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

UJesu wasebenzisa amandla kaJehova ukuze asize abanye

[Izithombe ekhasini 17]

Singaba nawo amandla okumemezela iZwi likaNkulunkulu uma izinhliziyo zethu zikulo