“Funani UYehova Namandla Akhe”

“Ngokubhekisele kuYehova, amehlo akhe asingasinga emhlabeni wonke ukuba ababonise amandla abo bantliziyo ziphelele kuye.”—2 KRONIKE 16:9.

 1. Yintoni amandla, kwaye abantu baye bawasebenzisa njani?

IGAMA elithi amandla linokuthetha izinto ezininzi, ezinjengokulawula, igunya okanye ukuba nempembelelo kwabanye; ukukwazi ukwenza into okanye ukubangela umphumo; ukuba namandla emzimbeni (ukomelela); okanye ukuba nengqondo okanye imilinganiselo yokuziphatha enempembelelo. Abantu baye bazenzela igama elibi xa kufikwa kumba wokusebenzisa amandla. Xa wayexovula umbandela wegunya elinikwa abezopolitiko, umbhali-mbali uLord Acton wathi: “Igunya lenza umntu onakale kwaye xa enegunya elipheleleyo wonakala ngokupheleleyo.” Imbali yale mihla inemizekelo emininzi ebonisa ubunyaniso bamazwi kaLord Acton. Ebudeni benkulungwane yama-20, ‘umntu uye walawula umntu kwaba kukwenzakala kwakhe’ ngaphezulu kunanini na ngaphambili. (INtshumayeli 8:9) Oozwilakhe abonakeleyo baye balisebenzisa kakubi gqitha igunya labo kwaye baye babulala izigidi zabantu okweempukane. Igunya elingalawuli ngothando, ngobulumko nangokusesikweni liyinto eyingozi.

 2. Chaza indlela ezinye zeempawu zikaThixo ezikuchaphazela ngayo ukusebenzisa kukaYehova amandla akhe.

² Ngokungafaniyo nabantu abaninzi, uThixo usoloko esebenzisa amandla akhe ekwenzeni okuhle. “Ngokubhekisele kuYehova, amehlo akhe asingasinga emhlabeni wonke ukuba ababonise amandla abo bantliziyo ziphelele kuye.” (2 Kronike 16:9) UYehova uwalawula kakuhle amandla akhe. Umonde wenza ukuba uThixo awubambe umgwebo wakhe kwabangendawo ukuze abanike ithuba lokuguquka. Uthando lumshukumisela ekubeni enze ilanga likhanyise kuzo zonke iintlobo zabantu—abangamalungisa nabangengomalungisa. Okusesikweni kumshukumisela ekubeni ekugqibeleni asebenzise amandla akhe angasikelwe mda ukuze abhangise lowo ubangela ukufa, uSathana uMtyholi.—Mateyu 5:44, 45; Hebhere 2:14; 2 Petros 3:9.

 3. Kutheni amandla angenakulinganiswa kaThixo esinika isizathu sokukholosa ngaye?

³ Amandla awoyikekayo kaBawo wethu wasezulwini asisizathu sokuba sikholose yaye sibe nentembelo—kokubini kumadinga akhe nasekukhuselweni nguye. Umntwana uye azive ekhuselekile phakathi kwabantu angabaziyo xa ebambe isandla sikayise, kuba kaloku uyazi ukuba uyise akayi kuvumela nabani na ukuba amenzakalise. Ngokufanayo ke, uBawo wethu wasezulwini, lowo “uphuphuma ngamandla okusindisa,” uya kusikhusela kuko nakuphi na ukwenzakala ngokusisigxina ukuba sihamba naye. (Isaya 63:1; Mika 6:8) Kwaye njengoBawo olungileyo, uYehova usoloko ewazalisekisa amadinga akhe. Amandla akhe angasikelwanga mda aqinisekisa ukuba ‘ilizwi lakhe liya kukuphumelelisa ngokuqinisekileyo oko alithumele kona.’—Isaya 55:11; Tito 1:2.

4, 5. (a) Waba yintoni umphumo xa uKumkani uAsa wayekholose ngokupheleleyo ngoYehova? (b) Yintoni enokwenzeka xa sisayama ngezicombululo zabantu kwiingxaki zethu?

⁴ Kutheni kubaluleke kangaka ukuba sizimisele ukuba singaze silibale ukuba sikhuselwa nguBawo wethu wasezulwini? Kaloku kunokwenzeka ukuba songanyelwe ziimeko size silibale ukuba olona nqabiseko lwethu luvela phi na. Oku sinokukubona kumzekelo kaKumkani uAsa, indoda eyayikholose ngoYehova. Ebudeni bolawulo luka-Asa, umkhosi wamadoda asisigidi waseTiyopiya wahlasela elakwaYuda. Uthe akuqonda ukuba iintshaba zazinomkhosi omkhulu kunowakhe, uAsa wathandaza: “Owu Yehova, ngokuphathelele ukunceda, akunamsebenzi kuwe enoba baninzi okanye ngabo bangenamandla. Khawusincede, Yehova Thixo wethu, kuba sayama ngawe, siza nxamnye nesi sihlwele ngegama lakho. Owu Yehova, unguThixo wethu. Musa ukuvumela umntu ofayo abe namandla nxamnye nawe.” (2 Kronike 14:11) UYehova wamnika uAsa oko wayekufuna ibe wamenza waphuma phambili edabini.

⁵ Noko ke, emva kweminyaka emininzi ekhonza ngokuthembeka, ukuthembela kuka-Asa kumandla kaYehova okusindisa kwaya kuphela. Ngelizama ukuthintela isisongelo somkhosi wobukumkani basentla bakwaSirayeli, wabalekela eSiriya eyokucela uncedo. (2 Kronike 16:1-3) Nangona ukunyoba kwakhe uKumkani waseSiriya uBhen-hadade kwaphumela ekubeni sishenxe isisongelo sikaSirayeli kuYuda, umnqophiso owenziwa nguAsa neSiriya wabonisa ukuba wayengenantembelo kuYehova. Umprofeti uHanani wamxelela phandle esithi: “AmaTiyopiya namaLibhiya ebengengomkhosi omkhulu wamajoni amaninzi kakhulu, eneenqwelo nabakhweli-mahashe; yaye ngenxa yokwayama kwakho kuYehova akazange awanikele esandleni sakho?” (2 Kronike 16:7, 8) Noko ke, uAsa wasikhaba ngaw’ omane esi siluleko. (2 Kronike 16:9-12) Xa sijamelene neengxaki, masingayami ngezicombululo zabantu. Kunoko, masikholose ngoThixo, kuba ukukholosa ngamandla abantu ekugqibeleni kuya kuphumela ekuphoxekeni.—INdumiso 146:3-5.

Funa Amandla Anikelwa NguYehova

 6. Kutheni sifanele ‘sifune uYehova namandla akhe’?

⁶ UYehova unako ukubanika amandla yaye abakhusele abakhonzi bakhe. IBhayibhile iyasibongoza ukuba ‘sifune uYehova namandla akhe.’ (INdumiso 105:4) Ngoba? Kaloku xa sisenza izinto ngamandla kaThixo, amandla ethu siya kuwasebenzisa ukuze kungenelwe abanye kunokuba sibenzakalise. Awukho umzekelo esinokuwufumanisa ubhetele kunokaYesu Kristu, owenza imimangaliso emininzi ‘ngamandla kaYehova.’ (Luka 5:17) UYesu ngewayezinikele ekufuneni ubutyebi, udumo, okanye abe yingqangangqanga yokumkani. (Luka 4:5-7) Kunoko, wasebenzisa amandla awayewanikwe nguThixo ukuze aqeqeshe yaye afundise, nokuze ancede yaye aphilise. (Marko 7:37; Yohane 7:46) Onjani ukuba mhle umzekelo kuthi!

 7. Luluphi uphawu olubalulekileyo esiluhlakulelayo xa sisenza izinto ngamandla kaThixo kunokuba sisebenzise awethu?

⁷ Ngaphezu koko, xa sisenza izinto ‘ngamandla anikelwa nguThixo,’ oko kuya kusinceda sihlale sithobekile. (1 Petros 4:11) Abantu abalixhiphulela kubo igunya baye banyoluke. Umzekelo waloo nto ngokaKumkani uEsar-hadon waseAsiriya, owaqhayisa esithi: “Ndinamandla, ndiyingqonyela, ndiliqhawe, ndiyingangalala, ndimkhulu.” Ngokwahlukileyo koko, uYehova “wanyula izinto ezibuthathaka zehlabathi, ukuze azihlazise izinto ezomeleleyo.” Ngaloo ndlela, xa umKristu wokwenyaniso eqhayisa, uqhayisa ngoYehova, kuba uyazi ukuba oko akwenzileyo akakwenzanga ngamandla akhe. ‘Ukuzithoba phantsi kwesandla esinamandla sikaThixo’ kuya kusenza siphakanyiswe ngokwenene.—1 Korinte 1:26-31; 1 Petros 5:6.

 8. Yintoni esifanele siyenze kuqala ukuze sifumane amandla kaYehova?

⁸ Sinokuwafumana njani amandla kaThixo? Okokuqala, kufuneka siwacele ngomthandazo. UYesu wabaqinisekisa abafundi bakhe ukuba uYise wayeya kubanika umoya oyingcwele abo bawucelayo. (Luka 11:10-13) Khawucinge nje ngendlela owabanika amandla ngayo abafundi bakaKristu xa bakhetha ukuthobela uThixo kunokuthobela iinkokeli zonqulo ezazibayalela ukuba bayeke ukunikela ubungqina ngoYesu. Xa bathandazela uncedo lukaYehova, umthandazo wabo wokunyaniseka waphendulwa, kwaye umoya oyingcwele wabanika amandla okuqhubeka beshumayela iindaba ezilungileyo ngenkalipho.—IZenzo 4:19, 20, 29-31, 33.

 9. Chaza umthombo wesibini wamandla okomoya, kwaye nika umzekelo weZibhalo obonisa ukuba uyasebenza.

⁹ Okwesibini, amandla okomoya sinokuwafumana eBhayibhileni. (Hebhere 4:12) Amandla elizwi likaThixo abonakala ngemihla kaKumkani uYosiya. Nangona lo kumkani wakwaYuda wayesele ezishenxisile izithixo zabahedeni elizweni, ukufunyanwa koMthetho kaYehova etempileni kwamshukumisela ukuba abe ngathi uyaqinisa kwinkqubo yakhe yokucoca.a Emva kokuba uYosiya ebafundele abantu uMthetho, lonke olo hlanga lwenza umnqophiso noYehova, kwaye kwaqaliswa iphulo lesibini elalicokisa nangakumbi nxamnye nonqulo lwezithixo. Umphumo omhle wokuhlaziya kukaYosiya wawukukuba “yonke imihla yakhe abaphambukanga ekulandeleni uYehova.”—2 Kronike 34:33.

10. Yiyiphi indlela yesithathu yokufumana amandla kuYehova, kwaye kutheni ibalulekile?

¹⁰ Okwesithathu, sinokuwafumana amandla kaYehova ngokunxulumana namaKristu. UPawulos wakhuthaza amaKristu ukuba aye kwiintlanganiso rhoqo ukuze ‘avuselelane eluthandweni nasemisebenzini emihle’ kwaye akhuthazane. (Hebhere 10:24, 25) Xa uPetros wakhululwa ngokungummangaliso entolongweni, wayefuna ukuba kunye nabazalwana bakhe, ngoko wangqala kwindlu kanina kaYohane Marko, apho “abaliqela babehlanganisene khona bethandaza.” (IZenzo 12:12) Kakade ke, ngebabehleli bonke emakhayeni abo bathandaza. Kodwa bakhetha ukuba kunye ukuze bathandaze yaye bakhuthazane ngelo xesha lobunzima. Ngasekupheleni kohambo olude nolwalunobungozi lukaPawulos olwalusinge eRoma, wadibana nabanye abazalwana ePuteyoli waza kamva wadibana nabanye ababeze kumhlangabeza. Wasabela njani? “Akubabona [abo babeze kumhlangabeza], uPawulos wambulela uThixo waza womelela.” (IZenzo 28:13-15) Womelezwa kukuphinda abe kunye namanye amaKristu. Nathi sinokufumana amandla ngokunxulumana namanye amaKristu. Logama nje sisakhululekile yaye sikwazi ukunxulumana nabanye, asimele sizame ukuyihamba sodwa le ndlela emxinwa esa kubomi obungunaphakade.—IMizekeliso 18:1; Mateyu 7:14.

11. Chaza ezinye zeemeko apho kufuneka “amandla angaphaya koko kuqhelekileyo”?

¹¹ Xa sithandaza rhoqo, sifundisisa iLizwi likaThixo kwaye sinxulumana namanye amakholwa, ‘siyaqhubeka sizuza amandla eNkosini nasekomeleleni kwamandla ayo.’ (Efese 6:10) Ngokuqinisekileyo sonke siyawafuna “amandla eNkosini.” Abanye banezigulo eziqoba umzimba, abanye bathwaxwa kukwaluphala okanye kukuphulukana neqabane lomtshato. (INdumiso 41:3) Abanye banyamezele inkcaso evela kwiqabane lomtshato elingakholwayo. Abazali, ingakumbi abangenamaqabane, basenokukufumanisa kuyimbopheleleko enzima ukuphangela ngoxa bekhulisa usapho. AmaKristu aselula afuna amandla ukuze amelane nengcinezelo yoontanga kwaye angavumi ukusebenzisa iziyobisi nokuziphatha kakubi. Akakho umntu ofanele athandabuze ukucela kuYehova “amandla angaphaya koko kuqhelekileyo” ukuze ajamelane nocelomngeni olunjalo.—2 Korinte 4:7.

“Unika Odiniweyo Amandla”

12. UYehova usixhasa njani kubulungiseleli bamaKristu?

¹² Ngaphezu koko, uYehova ubanika amandla abakhonzi bakhe xa bekubulungiseleli babo. Sifunda oku kwisiprofeto sikaIsaya: “Unika odiniweyo amandla; nalowo ungenamandla makhulu umenza aphuphume ukomelela okupheleleyo. . . . Abo bathembela kuYehova baya kufumana amandla kwakhona. Baya kunyuka ngamaphiko njengeenkozi. Baya kubaleka baze bangatyhafi; baya kuhamba bangadinwa.” (Isaya 40:29-31) Umpostile uPawulos wawafumana amandla okuphumeza ubulungiseleli bakhe. Ngenxa yoko waba nempumelelo kubulungiseleli. Xa wayebhalela amaKristu aseTesalonika, wathi: “Iindaba ezilungileyo esizishumayelayo azibangakho kuni ngantetho yodwa kodwa kwanangamandla nomoya oyingcwele.” (1 Tesalonika 1:5) Ukushumayela nokufundisa kwakhe kwakunamandla okuzisa iinguqu ezinkulu kubomi babantu ababemphulaphula.

13. Yintoni eyomeleza uYeremiya ukuba afunze phambili nangona wayechaswa?

¹³ Xa sidibana nabantu abangenamdla kwintsimi yethu—intsimi esisenokuba siyiphindaphindile kangangeminyaka kodwa kungekho ntsabelo ingako—sisenokudimazeka. NoYeremiya wadinyazwa kukuchaswa, kukugculelwa nakukungahoywa. Wazixelela oku: “Andisayi kumkhankanya [uThixo], andisayi kuphinda ndithethe egameni lakhe.” Kodwa akazange akwazi ukuthula. Isigidimi sakhe ‘sasingathi ngumlilo ovuthayo ovalelwe emathanjeni akhe.’ (Yeremiya 20:9) Yintoni eyamnika amandla angakumbi xa wayejamelene nobunzima obunjalo? UYeremiya wathi: “UYehova wayenam njengalowo unamandla ngokunkwantyisayo.” (Yeremiya 20:11) Ukukuqonda kukaYeremiya ukubaluleka kwesigidimi sakhe nokwesabelo sakhe awayesinikwe nguThixo kwamenza wasabela kukhuthazo lukaYehova.

Amandla Okwenzakalisa Namandla Okuphilisa

14. (a) Ulwimi lusisixhobo esinamandla kangakanani? (b) Nika imizekelo ebonisa umonakalo onokudalwa lulwimi.

¹⁴ Amandla esinawo awaveli ngokungqalileyo kuThixo onke. Ngokomzekelo, ulwimi luncinanana nje, kodwa lunamandla okwenzakalisa namandla okuphilisa. USolomon walumkisa: “Ukufa nobomi kusemandleni olwimi.” (IMizekeliso 18:21) Umphumo wencokwana nje emfutshane eyayiphakathi kukaSathana noEva ubonisa indlela amazwi anokudala umonakalo omkhulu ngayo. (Genesis 3:1-5; Yakobi 3:5) Nathi sinokwenza umonakalo omkhulu ngolwimi. Amazwi athob’ isidima abhekiswa kwintwazana eselula ngobukhulu bomzimba wayo asenokuyikhokelela kwianorexia. Ukuphindaphindwa kwentlebendwane kusenokuphelisa ubuhlobo obuhlala buhleli. Ewe, ulwimi lufuna ukuqhotyoshwa.

15. Sinokulusebenzisa njani ulwimi lwethu ukuze sakhe yaye siphilise?

¹⁵ Noko ke, ulwimi lunokwakha okanye luchithe. Umzekeliso weBhayibhile uthi: “Kukho othetha engacinganga njengokuhlaba kwekrele, kodwa ulwimi lezilumko luyaphilisa.” (IMizekeliso 12:18) AmaKristu alumkileyo asebenzisa amandla olwimi lwawo ukuze athuthuzele abadandathekileyo nabafelweyo. Amazwi ovelwano anokukhuthaza abakwishumi elivisayo abajamelene nengxaki yengcinezelo yoontanga eyenzakalisayo. Ulwimi oluthetha izinto ezicingisiswe kakuhle lunokwenza abazalwana noodade abasele bekhulile baqiniseke ukuba basafunwa kwaye bayathandwa. Amazwi obubele anokubenza bahlaziyeke abo bagulayo. Ngaphezu kwako konke, sinokusebenzisa ulwimi lwethu ukuze sabelane nabo bonke abaphulaphulayo ngesigidimi esinamandla soBukumkani. Ukuvakalisa iLizwi likaThixo kusemandleni ethu ukuba phofu iintliziyo zethu zicinga ngalo. IBhayibhile ithi: “Musa ukwala nokulungileyo kwabo kuselungelweni labo ukukufumana, xa kusemandleni esandla sakho ukukwenza.”—IMizekeliso 3:27.

Ukuwasebenzisa Kakuhle Amandla

16, 17. Xa besebenzisa igunya labo abalinikwe nguThixo, abadala, abazali, abayeni kunye nabafazi banokumxelisa njani uYehova?

¹⁶ Nangona enamandla onke, uYehova ulilawula ngothando ibandla. (1 Yohane 4:8) Bexelisa yena, abaveleli abangamaKristu bawunyamekela ngothando umhlambi kaThixo—bengalisebenzisi kakubi igunya abalinikiweyo. Kuyinyaniso ukuba, maxa wambi abaveleli kufuneka ‘bohlwaye, bakhalimele, babongoze,’ kodwa oko kwenziwa “ngako konke ukuzeka kade umsindo nobugcisa bokufundisa.” (2 Timoti 4:2) Ngoko abadala basoloko becamngca ngamazwi umpostile uPetros awawabhalela abo banegunya ebandleni esithi: “Waluseni umhlambi kaThixo eniwunyamekelayo, kungengakunyanzelwa, kodwa ngokuzithandela; kungekhona ngokuthanda inzuzo yokunganyaniseki, kodwa ngentumekelelo; ningabi ziinkosi phezu kwabo balilifa likaThixo, kodwa yibani yimizekelo emhlambini.”—1 Petros 5:2, 3; 1 Tesalonika 2:7, 8.

¹⁷ Abazali kunye nabayeni nabo banegunya abalinikwe nguYehova, kwaye elo gunya lifanele lisetyenziselwe ukunceda, ukondla nokunonophela. (Efese 5:22, 28-30; 6:4) Umzekelo kaYesu uyabonisa ukuba igunya linako ukusetyenziswa ngempumelelo xa lisetyenziswa ngendlela enothando. Ukuba uqeqesho lulungelelene kwaye aluguquguquki, abantwana abafi iintliziyo. (Kolose 3:21) Imitshato iyomelela xa abayeni abangamaKristu bebusebenzisa ngothando ubuntloko babo yaye nabafazi bebahlonela ngokunzulu abayeni babo kunokuba badlule kumda abawumiselwe nguThixo ngelizama ukugagamela okanye ukwenza izinto ngendlela yabo.—Efese 5:28, 33; 1 Petros 3:7.

18. (a) Sifanele siwuxelise njani umzekelo kaYehova ekulawuleni umsindo wethu? (b) Yintoni abo banegunya abafanele bazame ukuyihlakulela kwabo babanyamekelayo?

¹⁸ Abo banegunya entsatsheni nasebandleni bafanele bakuphaphele ngokukhethekileyo ukuwulawula umsindo wabo, kuba kaloku umsindo udala uloyiko kunokuba uvuselele uthando. Umprofeti uNahum wathi: “UYehova uzeka kade umsindo yaye unamandla kakhulu.” (Nahum 1:3; Kolose 3:19) Ukulawula kwethu umsindo kuluphawu olubonisa ukuba sinamandla, ngoxa ukuwuyeka ubhabhazele kububungqina bokuba sibuthathaka. (IMizekeliso 16:32) Entsatsheni nasebandleni, usukelo kukuhlakulela uthando—ukuthanda uYehova, ukuthanda abanye kunye nokuthanda imigaqo elungileyo. Uthando lulelona qhina linamandla elimanyayo kwaye luyeyona nto inamandla okushukumisela abantu ekwenzeni okulungileyo.—1 Korinte 13:8, 13; Kolose 3:14.

19. Sisiphi isiqinisekiso esithuthuzelayo esinikelwa nguYehova, kwaye sifanele sisabele njani?

¹⁹ Ukwazi uYehova kuthetha ukuwagqala amandla akhe. Esebenzisa uIsaya, uYehova wathi: “Akwazi na okanye akuvanga na? UYehova, uMdali weziphelo zomhlaba, unguThixo ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo. Akadinwa okanye atyhafe.” (Isaya 40:28) Amandla kaYehova akapheli. Ukuba sayama ngaye kunokuba sayame ngeziqu zethu, akayi kusishiya. Uyasiqinisekisa: “Musa ukoyika, kuba ndinawe. Musa ukubhekabheka, kuba ndinguThixo wakho. Ndiza kukuqinisa. Ndiza kukunceda ngokwenene. Ndiza kukubamba nkqi ngokwenene ngesandla sam sasekunene sobulungisa.” (Isaya 41:10) Sifanele sisabele njani xa sinyanyekelwa ngothando ngolu hlobo? NjengoYesu, masisoloko siwasebenzisa nawaphi na amandla uYehova asinika wona ukuze sincede kwaye sakhe abanye. Ngamana singalulawula ulwimi lwethu ukuze luphilise kunokuba lwenzakalise. Kwaye ngamana singahlala sivukile ngokomoya, sime nkqi elukholweni kwaye siye sikhula emandleni oMdali wethu Ozukileyo, uYehova uThixo.—1 Korinte 16:13.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Ngaba Unokuchaza?

• UYehova uwasebenzisa njani amandla akhe?

• Ziziphi iindlela esinokuwafumana ngazo amandla kaYehova?

• Afanele asetyenziswe njani amandla olwimi?

• Linokuba yintsikelelo njani igunya elinikelwa nguThixo?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

UYesu wasebenzisa amandla kaYehova ukuze ancede abanye

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 17]

Ukuvakalisa iLizwi likaThixo kusemandleni ethu xa iintliziyo yethu ikulo