Bible Society of South Africa
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Preserved in Jesus Christ
Preserved in Jesus Christ – Day 14
Neville Turley

Preserved in Jesus Christ – Day 14

Know Your Enemy

Itekisi yeBhayibhile

KWABASE-EFESE 6

11Nxibani sonke isikrweqe eninokusifumana kuThixo, ukuze nibe nako ukumelana nabo bonke ubuqhokolo bukaSathana. 12Kuba kweli dabi lethu asilwi nabantu, kodwa silwa nemimoya ekhohlakeleyo esesibhakabhakeni, izilawuli, nabasemagunyeni, kunye nemimoya engcolileyo yeli phakade lobumnyama.

KWABASE-EFESE 6:11-12XHO96Vula kumfundi weBhayibhile

UMATEWU 4

Ukuhendwa kukaYesu

1Waza uYesu wakhokelelwa entlango nguMoya, ukuba ahendwe ngumtyholi. 2Uthe ke, ezile ukutya iintsuku ezimashumi mane, walamba ekupheleni kwazo. 3Wafika umhendi, wathi kuye: “Ukuba unguye uNyana kaThixo, yitsho la matye abe zizonka.”

4Waphendula yena wathi: “*IziBhalo zithi: ‘Umntu akaphili ngasonka sodwa; uphila ngamazwi onke athethwa nguThixo.’”

5Umtyholi ke wasa uYesu kwisiXeko esiNgcwele, wammisa phezu *kwendlu kaThixo, 6wathi kuye: “Ukuba unguye uNyana kaThixo, ziphose ezantsi phaya; kuba iziBhalo zithi:

“ ‘UThixo uya kuziwisela umthetho ngawe izithunywa zakhe;

ziya kukufunqula, hleze ukhubeke elityeni.’”

7UYesu wathi kuye: “IziBhalo zikwathi: ‘Uze ungayilingi iNkosi uThixo wakho.’”

8Kwakhona umtyholi wasa uYesu entabeni ephakame kakhulu, wambonisa onke amazwe ezikumkani zehlabathi, nobuhle bazo, 9wathi kuye: “Zonke ezi zinto ndokunika, ukuba uthe wazithoba wandinqula.”

10Waza wathi kuye uYesu: “Hamb' umke, Sathana; kuba iziBhalo zithi: ‘Uze unqule iNkosi uThixo wakho, ukhonze yona yodwa.’”

11Waza umtyholi wamyeka uYesu, zafika izithunywa zezulu zamlungiselela.

UMATEWU 4:1-11XHO96Vula kumfundi weBhayibhile

When the late captain of the South African National Cricket team, Hansie Cronje, was involved in a match-fixing scandal, he admitted his complicity. His excuse that it was the devil that made him do it, was met with scorn and ridicule.

How delighted Satan must have been by that reaction. The more people scoff at the belief that Satan exists and is active in the lives of men, the better he can go about his godless activities, tempting men to rebel against God.

The Bible reveals Satan as the greatest enemy of God and man. In Ephesians 2:2, he is described as the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God.

It is a mistake to ignore his existence and an even bigger mistake to under-estimate the influence and impact he can have on those you love.

Jesus was well prepared for his encounter with Satan (Matthew 4:1-11). He had just been baptised and received his Father’s seal of approval, when the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert where he fasted for 40 days.

There, the devil tempted the hungry Jesus to turn stones into bread, to test God’s love for him and finally, he offered Jesus all the worlds’ kingdoms if he would worship him. The Bible tells us that after Jesus rejected the devil, angels came and ministered to him.

Satan comes to us with his devilish tricks in our most vulnerable moments. He can leave us emotionally battered and bruised, but he can be resisted effectively. For Satan is a conquered enemy. His power and dominion over believers was broken at the cross (John 12:31).

If we submit to God and resist the devil, he will be powerless to harm us. He will run away (James 4:7).

Bible Society of South Africav.4.26.9
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