2011 Watchtower January 15th

STUDY ARTICLES FOR THEWEEKS OF:

February 28–March 6“Take Refuge in the Name of

Jehovah”PAGE 3 SONGS TO BE USED: 49, 74

March 7-13Respect Marriage as a Gift From GodPAGE 13 SONGS TO BE USED: 36, 94

March 14-20Make the Most of Your SinglenessPAGE 17 SONGS TO BE USED: 85, 121

March 21-27Empowered to Fight Temptationand Cope With Discouragement

PAGE 22 SONGS TO BE USED: 81, 17

March 28–April 3Empowered to Overcome Any TrialPAGE 26 SONGS TO BE USED: 133, 100

34567�

JANUARY 15, 2011

(Pages 3-7, 13-21, 22-30)

� 2011 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved. wst11 01/15-E

PURPOSE OF STUDY ARTICLES

STUDY ARTICLE 1 PAGES 3-7

Where can we find refuge at this criticaltime? God’s Word explains that we can takerefuge in the name of Jehovah. This articleconsiders how we can find protection bothnow and when “the great day of Jehovah”strikes. This discussion highlights the year-text for 2011.

STUDY ARTICLES 2, 3 PAGES 13-21

Marriage and singleness are both gifts fromGod, each with its own blessings. Whetherwe are married or single, these articles willdiscuss reasons to appreciate these gifts andshow us how to demonstrate our apprecia-tion for them.

STUDY ARTICLES 4, 5 PAGES 22-30

We need Jehovah’s assistance to fulfill ourdedication to him. These articles will discusshow holy spirit helps us to fight temptation,cope with discouragement, withstand perse-cution, resist negative peer pressure, and en-dure adversity.

THE WATCHTOWER ˙ JANUARY 15, 2011 3

HAVE you ever had to take refuge from arainstorm or a hailstorm by seeking

cover under a bridge? A bridge might welloffer you adequate shelter from a rainstormor a hailstorm, but it would probably pro-vide little protection from a tornado or ahurricane.

2 A different type of storm is approaching—one that threatens the very existence ofthe human race. It is a figurative “day ofstorm.” This “great day of Jehovah” will af-fect all mankind. However, we can find therefugewe need. (Read Zephaniah 1:14-18.)How can we do so during “the day of Jeho-vah’s fury” that is soon to begin?

Days of Storm in Bible Times3 The day of Jehovah will break out with

the destruction of all false religious systemson earth. As to how to find refuge, we canlook for the answer in the history of God’sancient people. Isaiah, who lived in theeighth century B.C.E., likened Jehovah’sjudgment on the apostate ten-tribe king-dom of Israel to a “thunderous storm” thatpeople would not be able to prevent. (ReadIsaiah 28:1, 2.)That prophecy found fulfill-ment in 740 B.C.E. when Assyria invadedthe land of those tribes, Ephraim being themost prominent of the ten.

1, 2. What figurative storm will soon strike man-kind?3. What “thunderous storm” came upon the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel?

4 The judgment against unfaithful Israelwas followed in 607 B.C.E. by a “great day ofJehovah” against Jerusalem and the king-dom of Judah. That event occurred becausethe people of Judah had also turned apos-tate. The Babylonians under Nebuchadnez-zar threatened Judah and its capital, Jerusa-lem. The Judeans had turned for help to“the refuge of a lie,” that is, to their politicalalliance with Egypt. Nevertheless, like a de-structive hailstorm, the Babylonians sweptaway that “refuge.”—Isa. 28:14,17.

5 The great day of Jehovah that struckJerusalem was an indication of the judg-ment to come upon apostate Christen-dom in our time. Furthermore, the rest of

4. How did a “great day of Jehovah” strike Jerusa-lem in 607 B.C.E.?5. How will God’s people as a group fare during thedestruction of all false religion?

“TAKE REFUGE IN THENAME OF JEHOVAH”

“I shall certainly let remain . . .a people humble and lowly, and they will actually

take refuge in the name of Jehovah.”—ZEPH. 3:12.

4 THE WATCHTOWER ˙ JANUARY 15, 2011

“Babylon the Great,” the world empire offalse religion, will be destroyed. Thereafter,the remaining parts of Satan’s wicked sys-temof things will be annihilated. Yet, God’speople as a group will survive because theyare taking refuge in Jehovah.—Rev. 7:14; 18:2, 8; 19:19-21.

Spiritual and Physical Refuge6 How can God’s people find refuge even

now during this time of the end? We findspiritual refuge by prayerfully “thinkingupon [God’s] name” and by serving himzealously. (Read Malachi 3:16-18.) We canappreciate, though, thatweneed todomorethan just think upon his name. We read:“Everyone who calls on the name of Jeho-vah will be saved.” (Rom. 10:13) There is aconnection between calling on Jehovah’sname and the resulting salvation by him.Andmanyhonestheartedpeople can see thedifference between true Christians, who arereverently “thinking upon his name” andserving as his Witnesses, and those of man-kind who are not serving him.

7 Still, the salvation available to us is notlimited to finding spiritual refuge. Physicalsalvation is promised for God’s people. Wesee indication of this in what happened in66 C.E. after a Roman army under CestiusGallus attacked Jerusalem. Jesus had fore-told that the days of that tribulation wouldbe “cut short.” (Matt. 24:15, 16, 21, 22)That happened when the Roman forces un-expectedly abandoned the siege of the city,which allowed some “flesh,” namely trueChristians, to be “saved.” They were able toflee the city and the surrounding area. Somecrossed the Jordan and found refuge in

6. How can Jehovah’s people find refuge?7, 8. In what way did first-century Christiansexperience physical salvation, with what parallel to-day?

the mountains on the eastern side of thatriver.

8 We can draw a parallel between thoseChristians and God’s people today. In thepast, first-century Christians sought refuge,and God’s servants today will do likewise.However, this time it will not involve an ac-tual flight to a single geographic spot, fortrue Christians are located all around theglobe. Still, as a people, “the chosen ones”and their loyal companions will physicallysurvive the end of apostate Christendom bytaking refuge in Jehovah and his mountain-like organization.

9 On the other hand, Christendom de-serves the coming destruction for contrib-uting to the spiritual illiteracy commonamong churchgoers and for its manifest ha-tred of God’s name. In the Middle Ages,God’s personal name was rather widelyknown in Europe. That name, representedby four Hebrew letters called the Tetra-grammaton and commonly transliteratedYHWH (or JHVH), appeared on coins, on fa-cades of houses, in many books and Bibles,and even in some Catholic and Protes-tant churches. However, the trend in recenttimes is to eliminate the name of God fromBible translations and from other uses. Oneindication of this is the Letter to the Bish-ops’ Conferences on ‘theNameofGod,’dat-ed June 29, 2008, issued by the Congrega-tion for Divine Worship and the Disciplineof the Sacraments. In it the Roman Catho-lic Church advised that the Tetragramma-ton in its various renderings should be re-placed by “Lord.” The Vatican instructedthat God’s personal name should not beused or pronounced in hymns and prayersduring Catholic religious services. And theleaders of other religions inside and outside

9. Who have tried to cause Jehovah’s name to beforgotten? Give an example.


of Christendom have also hidden the iden-tityof the true God frommillions uponmil-lions of worshippers.

Protection for ThoseSanctifying God’s Name

10 In stark contrast with what other reli-gions are doing, Jehovah’s Witnesses honorandglorify thedivinename.They sanctify itby using it in a dignified way. Jehovah takespleasure in those who trust in him, andhe becomes whatever is necessary to blessand protect his people. “He is cognizant ofthose seeking refuge in him.”—Nah. 1:7;Acts 15:14.

11 Although the majority in ancient Ju-dah had become apostate, there were somewho took “refuge in the name of Jehovah.”(Read Zephaniah 3:12, 13.) Yes, when Godpunished faithless Judah by allowing theBabylonians to conquer the land and takeher people captive, some individuals, suchas Jeremiah, Baruch, andEbed-melech,werespared. They had lived “in the midst” ofan apostate nation. Others stayed faithfulwhile in captivity. In 539 B.C.E., the Medesand Persians under Cyrus conquered Bab-ylon. Cyrus soon issued a decree allowing aJewish remnant to return to their home-land.

12 Regarding those who would enjoy thatrestorationof trueworship, Zephaniah fore-told that Jehovah would save them and re-joice over them. (Read Zephaniah 3:14-17.)This has proved true in our time too. Af-ter God’s Kingdom was set up in heaven, Je-hovah delivered the faithful remnant ofanointed ones from spiritual captivity toBabylon the Great. And he rejoices overthem down to this day.

10. How is God’s name being honored today?11, 12. Who upheld Jehovah’s name in ancient Ju-dah, and who have done so in modern times?

13 Those with the hope of living foreveron earth have also got out of Babylon theGreat and enjoy spiritual liberation fromfalse religious teachings. (Rev. 18:4) Thus,Zephaniah 2:3 finds its major fulfillment inour time: “Seek Jehovah, all you meek onesof the earth.” Meek ones of all nations,whether they cherish the heavenly or theearthly hope, are now taking refuge in Jeho-vah’s name.

God’s Name Is Not a Talisman14 Some Israelites viewed the temple as a

talisman that would protect them from ene-mies. (Jer. 7:1-4) Earlier, Israelites viewed theark of the covenant as a charm that wouldprotect them in battle. (1 Sam. 4:3, 10, 11)Constantine the Great painted the Greekletters khi and rho, the first two letters ofthe title “Christ” in Greek, on his soldiers’shields in hopes of protecting his soldiers inbattle. And King Gustav Adolph II of Swe-den, who fought in the Thirty Years’ War, isthought to have worn the armor shown onpage 7. Note that the name Iehova is fea-tured prominentlyon the collar.

15 Some of God’s people who have beenattackedbydemonshave found refuge in Je-hovahby calling his nameout loud. Still, anobject that features God’s name should notbe considered a talisman or used as a charmin everyday life as if it had some magicalpower of protection. This is not what itmeans to take refuge in the name of Jeho-vah.

Taking Refuge Today16 We find refuge today in the spiritual se-

curity enjoyed by God’s people as a whole.

13. What liberation are people of all nations experi-encing?14, 15. (a) What have some used as talismans?(b) What should not be used as a charm?16. Spiritually, how can we take refuge today?


(Ps. 91:1) Through “the faithful and discreetslave” andelders in the congregation,we arealerted to trends in the world that could en-danger that security. (Matt. 24:45-47; Isa. 32:1, 2) Think of how often we have beenwarned about materialism, and considerhow such warnings have protected us fromspiritual calamity. And what about the dan-ger of developing an easygoing attitude,which could lead to our becoming inactivein Jehovah’s service? God’s Word says: “Theeasygoingness of the stupid is what will de-stroy them. As for the one listening to me,hewill reside in security andbe undisturbedfrom dread of calamity.” (Prov. 1:32, 33)Striving to keep morally clean also helps usto maintain our spiritual security.

17 Think, too, of the encouragement fromthe faithful slave to follow Jesus’ commandto preach the good news of the Kingdom inall the inhabited earth. (Matt. 24:14; 28:19,20) Zephaniah mentioned a change thatwould help people to take refuge in God’sname.We read: “Then I shall give to peoplesthe change to a pure language, in order forthem all to call upon the name of Jehovah,in order to serve him shoulder to shoulder.”—Zeph. 3:9.

18 What is this pure language? The purelanguage is the truth about Jehovah Godand his purposes as found in his inspired

17, 18. What is helping millions to take refuge inthe name of Jehovah today?

Word.You are in a sense using that languagewhen you share with others the correct un-derstanding of God’s Kingdom and how itwill sanctify his name, when you stress thevindication of God’s sovereignty, and whenyou happily talk about the everlasting bless-ings faithful humans will enjoy. As a resultof so many speaking this figurative lan-guage, a growing number are ‘calling uponthe name of Jehovah’ and ‘serving himshoulder to shoulder.’ Yes, millions aroundthe world are now finding refuge in Jeho-vah.—Ps.1:1, 3.

19 People in the world have to deal withseemingly insurmountable problems. Des-perate to solve their problems,many look toimperfect men. Or they hope for solutionsfrom political institutions, even as ancientIsrael at times looked to neighboring na-tions for support, making alliances withthem. Yet, you know that doing so did nothelp Israel. And no political state today, northe United Nations organization, will fullysolve mankind’s problems. So why shouldone regard political institutions and alli-ances as a refuge? The Bible propheticallycalls thema “refuge of a lie.” You can rightlyview them as such because all individualswhohope in themwill be sorely disappoint-ed.—Read Isaiah 28:15,17.

20 Soon the figurative hailstorm of Jeho-

19, 20. Howdid trusting in a “refuge of a lie” fail inBible times?

The yeartext for 2011 is:“Take refuge in the name

of Jehovah.”—Zephaniah 3:12.

Do You Recall?˙ How can we take refuge in Jehovah’s

name now?˙ Why should we not trust in “the

refuge of a lie”?˙ What refuge is assured us for the

future?

vah’s day will strike the earth. Humanschemes will not be able to provideprotection; neither will nuclearshelters nor wealth. Isaiah28:17 points out: “The hailmust sweep away the refugeof a lie, and the waters them-selves will flood out the veryplace of concealment.”

21 Both now and duringthat future development,God’s people will find real se-curity in their God, Jehovah.

21. What benefit can we enjoy by fol-lowing the yeartext for 2011?

Zephaniah’s name, meaning “Jeho-vah Has Concealed,” points to this

true source of concealment.Fittingly,wehave as the year-text for 2011 the wise advice:“Take refuge in the name ofJehovah.” (Zeph. 3:12) Evennow we can and should take

refuge in the name of Jehovah,trusting in him implicitly. (Ps. 9:

10) Let us daily keep in mind thisinspired assurance: “The name of

Jehovah is a strong tower. Into itthe righteous runs and is given pro-

tection.”—Prov.18:10./Th

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JEHOVAH GOD, the Originator of mar-riage, surely deserves our respect. As our

Creator, Sovereign, and heavenly Father, heis rightly described as the Giver of “everygood gift and every perfect present.” (Jas. 1:17; Rev. 4:11) This is a manifestation of hisgreat love. (1 John 4:8) Everything he hastaught us, everything he has asked of us,everything he has given to us has been onlyfor our welfare and benefit.—Isa. 48:17.

2 The Bible presents marriage as one ofthese “good” gifts from God. (Ruth 1:9; 2:12) When he performed the first wedding,Jehovah gave the couple, Adam and Eve,specific instructions on how to succeed.(Read Matthew 19:4-6.) If they had fol-lowed God’s direction, they would have en-joyed permanent happiness. However, theyfoolishly disregarded God’s command andsuffered terrible consequences.—Gen. 3:6-13,16-19, 23.

3 Like that first couple, many people to-day make marital decisions with little or noregard for Jehovah’s direction. Some rejectmarriage outright, while others try to re-define it to suit their own desires. (Rom. 1:24-32; 2 Tim. 3:1-5) They ignore the factthat marriage is a gift from God, and by dis-

1. Why does Jehovah deserve our respect?2. What instructions did Jehovah give to the firstmarried couple?3, 4. (a) How are many today disrespecting bothmarriage and Jehovah God? (b) What examples willwe consider in this article?

respecting that gift, they also disrespect theGiver, Jehovah God.

4 At times, even someofGod’speople loseclear sight of Jehovah’s view of marriage.Some Christian couples decide to separate,or they divorce without having Scripturalgrounds to do so. How can this be avoided?How can God’s direction at Genesis 2:24help married Christians to strengthen theirmarriage? And how can those who are con-templating marriage prepare for it? Let uslook at three successful marriages in Bibletimes that illustrate how respect for Jehovahis a vital key to a lasting marriage.

Cultivate Loyalty5 Zechariah and Elizabeth did all the right

things. Each married a spiritually-mindedpartner. Zechariah faithfully carried out hispriestly duties, and both of themkept God’sLaw to the best of their ability. They certain-ly had much to be thankful for. Yet, ifyou had visited their home in Judah, youwould have soon realized that somethingwas missing. They had no children. Eliza-beth was barren, and both of them werewell up in years.—Luke 1:5-7.

6 In ancient Israel, childbearing was high-ly esteemed, and families were often quitelarge. (1 Sam.1:2, 6, 10; Ps. 128:3, 4) An Isra-elite man back then might treacherously

5, 6. What situation may have tested Zechariahand Elizabeth, and how was their loyalty rewarded?

RESPECT MARRIAGE ASA GIFT FROM GOD“That is why a man will leave his father and his

mother and he must stick to his wife and they mustbecome one flesh.”—GEN. 2:24.


divorce his wife if she bore himno children.Zechariah, though, loyally stayed with Eliz-abeth.Hedidnot look for an easywayoutoftheir marriage, nor did his wife. Althoughhaving no children saddened them, theycontinued to serve Jehovah together faith-fully. Miraculously, in time Jehovah richlyrewarded them with the birth of a son intheir old age.—Luke 1:8-14.

7 Elizabeth showed commendable loyaltyin yet another way. When her son, John,was born, Zechariah could not speak be-cause he had been struck with speechless-ness for questioning God’s angel. Yet, Zech-ariah must have communicated to his wifein some way that Jehovah’s angel had toldhimtoname theboy “John.” Theneighborsand relatives wanted to name the boy afterhis father. But Elizabeth loyally upheld herhusband’s direction to her. She said: “No,indeed! but he shall be called John.”—Luke1:59-63.

8 Like Zechariah and Elizabeth, marriedcouples today face disappointments andother challenges. A marriagewithout loyaltywill not flourish. Flirtation, pornography,adultery, and other threats to a wholesomemarriage can irreparably destroy maritaltrust. And when trust within a marriagebreaks down, love begins to wither. In someways, loyalty is like a protective fence aroundthe family home that keeps out unwelcomevisitors and threats, providing a measure ofsecurity for those inside the home. Thus,when a husband and wife are loyal to eachother, they can reside together safely andopen their heart to each other, letting theirlove grow. Yes, loyalty is vital.

7. In what other way did Elizabeth prove loyal toher husband?8, 9. (a) How does loyalty strengthen a marriage?(b) What are some specific ways inwhich a husbandand wife can show loyalty?

9 Jehovah told Adam: “A man will leavehis father and his mother and he must stickto his wife.” (Gen. 2:24) What does thatmean? Former ties to friends and relativeshave to be adjusted. Each mate must firstgive the other his or her time and attention.Friends and relatives can no longer take pri-ority at the expense of the new family; norshould the couple allow parents to interferein family decisions or disagreements. Thecouple must now stick to each other. That isGod’s direction.

10 Even in religiously divided households,loyalty brings rewards. A sister with an un-believing mate says: “I am so thankful to Je-hovah for teaching me how to be in subjec-tion to my husband and have deep respectfor him. Staying loyal has resulted in 47years of sustained love and respect.” (1 Cor.7:10, 11; 1 Pet. 3:1, 2) So work hard to makeyour marriage mate feel secure. By yourwords and actions, look for ways to reassureyour mate that to you, he or she is the mostimportant person on earth. To the extentthat it depends on you, do not let anyone oranything comebetweenyou and your mate.(Read Proverbs 5:15-20.) Ron and Jean-nette, who have been happily married forover 35 years, say, “Because we loyally dowhat God requires of us, we have a happy,successful marriage.”

Unity Strengthens Marriage11 When the apostle Paul spoke about his

close friends Aquila and Priscilla, he did notmentiononewithout the other. This unitedcouple is a good example of what Godmeant when he said that a husband and a

10. What will help marriage mates to cultivate loy-alty?11, 12. How did Aquila and Priscilla cooperate(a) at home, (b) in their secular work, and (c) in theChristian ministry?


wife should become “one flesh.”(Gen. 2:24) They constantlyworked together in their home,in their secular work, and inthe Christian ministry. For ex-ample, when Paul first arrivedin Corinth, Aquila and Priscil-la kindly invited him to stay intheir home, which he apparentlyused for a time thereafter as abase for his activities. Later, inEphesus, they used their homefor holding congregation meet-ings and worked together to helpnewones, such asApollos, to growspiritually. (Acts 18:2, 18-26) This zealouscouple then went to Rome, where theyagain opened their home for congregationmeetings. Later, they returned to Ephesus,strengthening the brothers.—Rom.16:3-5.

12 For a time, Aquila and Priscilla alsoworked with Paul in their common trade,tentmaking. Again, we find the couple to-gether, cooperating without competition orstrife. (Acts 18:3) Surely, though, it wasthe time they spent together in Chris-tian activities that kept their marriage ona high spiritual plane. Whether in Cor-inth, Ephesus, orRome, theybecamewidelyknown as “fellow workers in Christ Jesus.”(Rom.16:3) They worked side by side to fur-ther theKingdom-preachingworkwhereverthey served.

13 Indeed, unity in goals and activitiesstrengthens a marriage. (Eccl. 4:9, 10) Un-fortunately,manycouples today spend littletime together. Theywork longhours at theirseparate jobs. Others travel extensively fortheir secular work or move abroad alone to

13, 14. (a) What situations can work against uni-ty in a marriage? (b) What are some things mar-riage mates can do to strengthen their bond as “oneflesh”?

work to send money back home. Even athome, some marriage partners find them-selves isolated from each other because ofthe time they spend on television, hobbies,sports, video games, or the Internet. Is thattrue inyourhousehold? If so, canyou adjustyour circumstances to spend more time to-gether? What about sharing in such com-mon tasks as preparing meals, washing thedishes, or working in the yard? Could youwork together as you care for the childrenorassist your aging parents?

14 Most important, regularly spend timetogether in activities related to worship ofJehovah. Discussing the daily text togetherand sharing in family worship provide ex-cellent opportunities to keep your family’sthinking and goals aligned. Also share to-gether in the ministry. If possible, try pio-neering together, even if your circumstanc-es allow you to do it only for one month orone year. (Read 1 Corinthians 15:58.)A sis-ter who pioneered with her husband says:“The ministry was one of the ways we couldspend time together and really talk. Becausewe both had the common goal of helpingothers spiritually, I felt that we were a realteam. I felt closer to him not just as a

Working together helpscouples to stay united


husband but also as a good friend.” As youwork together in worthwhile pursuits, yourinterests, priorities, and habits will gradual-ly harmonize with those of your spouse un-til, like Aquila and Priscilla, you will increas-ingly think, feel, and act as “one flesh.”

Let Spirituality Guide You15 Jesus knew the importance of putting

God first in marriage. He saw Jehovah per-form the first wedding. He observed howhappy Adam and Eve were as long as theyfollowed God’s direction, and he saw first-hand the trouble that resultedwhen they ig-nored it. So when Jesus taught others, heechoed his Father’s instruction found atGenesis 2:24. He also added this thought:“What God has yoked together let no manput apart.” (Matt. 19:6) Deep respect for Je-hovah, therefore, is still the key to a happy,successful marriage. In this regard, Jesus’earthly parents, Joseph and Mary, set anoutstanding example.

16 Joseph was kind and respectful towardMary. When he first learned that she waspregnant, hewanted to deal mercifully withher, even before God’s angel explained tohim what had happened to Mary. (Matt. 1:

15. What is the key to a successful marriage? Ex-plain.16. How did Joseph and Mary manifest spiritualityin their family life?

18-20) As a couple, they obeyed Caesar’s de-cree and also closely adhered to the MosaicLaw. (Luke 2:1-5, 21, 22) And although onlymen were required to attend the major reli-gious festivals in Jerusalem, Joseph andMary, together with members of their fami-ly, attended each year. (Deut. 16:16; Luke 2:41) In these and other ways, this godlycouple endeavored to please Jehovah andshoweddeep respect for spiritual things. It isno wonder that Jehovah had chosen themto care for his Son during the first part of Je-sus’ earthly life.

17 Does spirituality similarly guide yourfamily life? For example, when you makeimportant decisions, do you first researchBible principles, pray about the matter, andthen seek advice from a mature Christian?Or do you tend to resolve problems by fol-lowing your own feelings or those of familyand friends? Do you strive to put into prac-tice the many practical suggestions pub-lished by the faithful slave on marriage andfamily life? Or do you find yourself simplyfollowing local customs or popular secularadvice? Do you regularly pray and study to-gether, set spiritual goals, and talk aboutyour family’s priorities?

18 Regarding their 50 years of happy mar-ried life, Ray says, “We have never had aproblem we could not overcome, becausewe kept Jehovah as part of our ‘threefoldcord.’ ” (Read Ecclesiastes 4:12.) Dannyand Trina agree. “As we have served God to-gether,” they say, “our marriage has becomestronger.” They have been happily marriedfor more than 34 years. If you always put Je-hovah first in your marriage, he will helpyou to succeed andwill richlybless you.—Ps.127:1.

17, 18. (a) In what ways can a couple put spiritual-ity first in their family? (b) How will this benefitthem?

How Would You Answer?˙ How should loyalty influence married

Christians?˙ Why will working together in unity

strengthen a marriage?˙ What are some ways married people

can let spirituality guide them?˙ How can we show respect for Jeho-

vah, the Originator of marriage?


Continue to Respect God’s Gift19 For many today, the only thing that

matters is their personal happiness. But aservant of Jehovah sees things differently.He knows that God provided marriage as agift to further His purpose. (Gen.1:26-28) IfAdam and Eve had respected that gift, thewhole earth would have become a para-dise filled with happy, righteous servants ofGod.

20 Above all, God’s servants see marriageas an opportunity to bring glory to Jeho-vah. (Read 1 Corinthians 10:31.) As we

19. Why did God provide the gift of marriage?20, 21. (a) Why should we treat marriage as sa-cred? (b) What gift will we study about next week?

have seen, loyalty, unity, and spirituality aregodly qualities that fortify a marriage. Sowhether we are preparing for, strengthen-ing, or trying to save our marriage, we mustfirst see marriage for what it is: a divine andsacred institution. Keeping that truth inmind will move us to do our best to makemarital decisions based on God’s Word. Inthisway we show respect not just for the giftof marriage but also for the Giver of thatgift, Jehovah God.

21 Marriage, of course, is not the only giftJehovah has given us; nor is it the only roadto happiness in life. In our next article, wewill look at yet another precious gift fromGod—the gift of singleness.

MARRIAGE is unquestionably one ofGod’s most precious gifts to man-

kind. (Prov. 19:14) Yet, many single Chris-tians also enjoy a rich and satisfying life.Harold, a 95-year-old brother who nevermarried, says: “Although I enjoy being withothers and showing hospitality, when I amalone I am never lonely. I guess it can trulybe said that I have the gift of singleness.”

2 Indeed, both Jesus Christ and the apos-tle Paul referred to singleness, like mar-riage, as a gift from God. (Read Matthew19:11, 12; 1 Corinthians 7:7.) Admittedly,

1, 2. (a) How did Jesus, Paul, and others view sin-gleness? (b) Why might some not think of single-ness as a gift?

though, not everyone who is unmarried issingle by choice. Sometimes circumstancesmake it hard tofind a suitablepartner.Or af-ter years of marriage, some unexpectedlyfind themselves alone because of a divorceor the death of their spouse. In what sense,then, can singleness be a gift? And how cansingleChristiansmake themost of their sin-gleness?

A Unique Gift3 A single personoftenhasmore time and

greater personal freedom than a marriedperson does. (1 Cor. 7:32-35) These are

3. What advantages do single Christians often en-joy?

MAKE THE MOST OFYOUR SINGLENESS

“Let him that can make room for it make room for it.”—MATT. 19:12.


unique advantages that may allow him toexpand his ministry, widen out in love forothers, and draw closer to Jehovah. A num-ber of Christians, therefore, have come toappreciate the benefits of singleness andhave decided to “make room for it,” at leastfor a time. Others may not have initiallyplanned for singleness, but when their cir-cumstances changed, they prayerfully re-flected on their situation and realized thatwith Jehovah’s help they too could be set-tled in their heart. Thus, they accepted theirchanged circumstances and made room forsingleness.—1 Cor. 7:37, 38.

4 Single Christians know that they do nothave to get married to be recognized or ap-preciated by Jehovah or his organization.God’s love reaches out to each of us as indi-viduals. (Matt. 10:29-31) No one and noth-ing can separate us from God’s love. (Rom.8:38, 39) Whether married or single, wehave every reason to feel complete in God’sservice.

5 Still, as with such gifts as musical or ath-letic talent, the gift of singleness has to becultivated in order to realize its full poten-

4. Why can single Christians feel complete in God’sservice?5. What is needed in order to obtain the full re-wards of singleness?

tial. So how can single Christians today—whether brothers or sisters, young in ageor up inyears, single bychoice or because ofcircumstances—make the most of their situ-ation in life? Let us consider some encour-aging examples from the early Christiancongregation and seewhat we can learn.

Singleness in Youth6 The evangelizer Philip had four virgin

daughters who shared their father’s zeal forevangelizing. (Acts 21:8, 9) Prophesying wasamong themiraculous gifts of theholy spir-it, and these young women used that gift infulfillment of Joel 2:28, 29.

7 Timothy was a young man who madegood use of his singleness. From infan-cy he was taught “the holy writings” byhis mother, Eunice, and his grandmotherLois. (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:14, 15) But they likelyembraced Christianity only during Paul’sfirst visit to Lystra, their hometown, about47 C.E. Two years later, when Paul visited asecond time, Timothy was perhaps in hislate teens or early 20’s. Despite being rela-

6, 7. (a) What privilege did Philip’s virgin daugh-ters receive in God’s service? (b) In what ways didTimothy make good use of his single years, and howwas he blessed for his willingness to serve in hisyouth?

Are you making the most of your opportunities in God’s service?


tively young both in age and in the truth, hewas “well reported on” by the Christian el-ders in Lystra and neighboring Iconium.(Acts 16:1, 2) So Paul invitedTimothy to joinhim as a traveling companion. (1 Tim. 1:18;4:14) We cannot say for certain that Timo-thy never married. But we do know that as ayoung man, he cheerfully accepted Paul’sinvitation, and for many years thereafter, heenjoyed serving as a single missionary andoverseer.—Phil. 2:20-22.

8 In his youth, John Mark also used hissingle years to good advantage. He andhis mother, Mary, as well as his cousinBarnabas were early members of the Je-rusalem congregation. Mark’s family mayalso have been comfortably situated, sincethey owned their own home in the cityand had a servant. (Acts 12:12, 13) Despitethese advantages, however, even as a youngman, Mark was not self-indulgent or self-centered; nor was he content to settle downand lead a comfortable family life. His earlyassociation with the apostles likely instilledin him a desire for missionary service. So heeagerly joined Paul and Barnabas on theirfirst missionary tour and served as their at-tendant. (Acts 13:5) Later, he traveled withBarnabas, and later still, wefindhimservingwith Peter in Babylon. (Acts 15:39; 1 Pet. 5:13) How long Mark remained single, we donot know. But he earned an excellent repu-tationas someonewhowaswilling tominis-ter to others and do more in God’s service.

9 Many young ones in the congregationtoday also gladly use their single years toexpand their share in God’s service. Like

8. What enabled John Mark to pursue spiritualgoals, and what blessings did he receive for do-ing so?9, 10. What opportunities are there today foryoung single Christians to expand their ministry?Give an example.

Mark and Timothy, they appreciate thatsingleness allows for “constant attendanceupon the Lord without distraction.” (1 Cor.7:35) This is a real advantage. Opportu-nities abound—pioneering, serving wherethe need for Kingdom preachers is greater,learning a foreign language, assisting withKingdom Hall or branch construction, at-tending Ministerial Training School, andserving at Bethel. If you are still young andunmarried, are you making the most ofyour opportunities?

10 A brother named Mark started pioneer-ing in his late teens, attended the Ministeri-al Training School, and has served in vari-ous assignments around theworld. Lookingbackon25yearsof full-time service, he says:“I’ve tried to work with everyone in thecongregation, sharing in the ministry withthem, making shepherding calls on them,inviting them to my home for meals, andeven arranging gatherings with a spiritualfocus. All these things have brought me agreat deal of joy.” As Mark’s comments re-veal, the greatest joy in life comes from giv-ing, and a full life in sacred service offersmany opportunities for giving to others.(Acts 20:35) No matter what your personalinterests, skills, or experience in life, foryoung people today, there is plenty to do inthe Lord’s work.—1 Cor.15:58.

11 Although most young people wouldlike to marry eventually, there are good rea-sons not to rush into marriage. Paul encour-ages youths to wait at least until they arepast “the bloom of youth,” when sexual de-sires are most powerful. (1 Cor. 7:36) It takestime to understand yourself and acquire theexperience in life that is needed to choose asuitable mate. Making a marriage vow is a

11. What are some benefits of not rushing intomarriage?


serious decision, one that should last forlife.—Eccl. 5:2-5.

Singleness in Later Life12 Anna, mentioned in Luke’s Gospel,

likely was deeply saddened when her hus-band died unexpectedly after just sevenyears of marriage. We do not know whetherthey had any children or if she ever consid-ered remarrying. But the Bible reports thatat age 84, Annawas still awidow. Fromwhatthe Bible says, we can conclude that Annaused her changed circumstances to drawcloser to Jehovah. She was “never missingfrom the temple, rendering sacred servicenight and day with fastings and supplica-tions.” (Luke 2:36, 37) So spiritual thingscame first in her life. That took real determi-nation and effort, but she was greatly re-warded. She was privileged to see the youngchild Jesus, and she witnessed to othersabout the liberation that was due to be ef-fected through this coming Messiah.—Luke2:38.

13 A woman named Dorcas, or Tabitha,lived in Joppa, an ancient seaport northwestof Jerusalem. Since the Bible mentions nohusband, she was likely unmarried at thetime. Dorcas “abounded in good deeds andgifts of mercy.” She evidently made manygarments for needy widows and others,and this greatly endeared her to them. Sowhen she suddenly fell ill and died, thewhole congregation sent for Peter to im-plore him to resurrect their dear sister. Asnews of her resurrection spread throughoutJoppa, many became believers. (Acts 9:36-42) Through her extraordinary kindness,

12. (a) How did the widow Anna cope with herchanged circumstances? (b) What privilege did shereceive?13. (a) What indicates that Dorcas was actively in-volved in the congregation? (b) How was Dorcas re-warded for her goodness and kindness?

Dorcasherselfmayhavehad a share inhelp-ing some of them.

14 Like Anna and Dorcas, many in congre-gations today find themselves single later inlife. Some may not have found a suitablemarriage mate. Others are divorced or wid-owed. Having no marriage mate to confidein, single Christians often learn to leanmore heavily on Jehovah. (Prov. 16:3) Sil-via, a single sister who has served at Beth-el for more than 38 years, sees this as ablessing. “Sometimes I get tired of beingthe strong one,” she admits. “I wonder,‘Who will encourage me?’” But then sheadds: “Trusting that Jehovah knows what Ineed better than I do helps me to drawcloser to him. And the encouragement al-ways comes, sometimes from completelyunexpected sources.” Whenever we drawcloser to Jehovah, he always responds in amost tender and reassuring way.

15 Singleness affords a special opportuni-ty to “widen out” in love. (Read 2 Corinthi-ans 6:11-13.) Jolene, a single sister who hasspent the past 34 years in full-time service,says: “I’ve tried to work hard at buildingwarmrelationships, not justwithpeoplemyownage, butwithall typesof people. Single-ness is a real opportunity to give to Jehovah,your family, and your brothers and sisters,as well as to your neighbors. The older Iget, the happier I feel about my singlestate.” The elderly, the infirm, single par-ents, youths, and others in the congrega-tion certainly appreciate the unselfish sup-port that single ones offer to them. Indeed,whenever we show love to others, we feelbetter about ourselves. Can you too “widenout” in your love for others?

14. What moves single Christians to draw closer toJehovah?15. How may unmarried Christians “widen out” intheir love?


Single for Life16 Jesus did not marry; he had to prepare

for and carry out his assigned ministry. Hetraveled extensively, worked from early inthe morning until late at night, and eventu-ally laid downhis life in sacrifice. Singlenesswas an advantage in his case. The apostlePaul traveled thousands of miles and facedgreat hardships in the ministry. (2 Cor.11:23-27) Although he may have been mar-ried earlier, Paul chose to stay single after hewas commissioned as an apostle. (1 Cor. 7:7;9:5) For the sake of the ministry, both Je-sus and Paul encouraged others to imitatetheir example where possible. Yet, neitherof them set celibacy as a requirement forministers.—1 Tim. 4:1-3.

17 Today, some have likewise made theconscious choice to remain single so thatthey can better pursue their ministry. Har-old, mentioned earlier, has enjoyed over56 years in Bethel service. “By the time Icompleted ten years at Bethel,” he says, “Ihad observed many married couples leav-ingBethel because of sickness or theneed tocare for an aging parent. My parents wereboth deceased. But I loved Bethel so much

16. (a) Why did Jesus stay single for life? (b) Howdid Paul make wise use of his single state?17. How have some today followed in the footstepsof Jesus and Paul, and why can we be sure that Jeho-vah appreciates those who make such sacrifices?

that I did not want to put that privilegein jeopardy by getting married.” Similarly,years ago, a longtime pioneer named Mar-garet observed: “There have been opportu-nities for marriage inmy life, but I just nevergot around to it. Instead, I was able to usethe extra freedom and mobility that single-ness affords to keep busy in the ministry,and this has brought me great happiness.”Surely, Jehovah will never forget any whomake such unselfish sacrifices for true wor-ship.—Read Isaiah 56:4, 5.

Make the Mostof Your Circumstances

18 All unmarried Christians who are do-ing their best to serve Jehovah deserveour genuine commendation and encour-agement. We love them for who they areand for the significant contribution theymake to the congregation. They will neverhave to feel lonely if we truly become theirspiritual “brothers and sisters and mothersand children.”—Read Mark 10:28-30.

19 Whether you are single by choice orsimply because of circumstances, may theseScriptural and modern examples assure youthat you can lead a happy and productivelife. Somegifts are eagerly anticipated,whileothers are completely unexpected. Someare immediately appreciated, while othersare valued only over time. Much, then, de-pends on our attitude. What can you do tomake the most of your singleness? Drawcloser to Jehovah, have plenty to do inGod’s service, and widen out in your lovefor others. Like marriage, singleness can berewarding when we view it from God’s per-spective and makewise use of this gift.

18. How can others encourage and support singleChristians?19. What can you do to make the most of your sin-gleness?

Do You Recall?˙ In what ways can singleness be a

gift?˙ How can singleness be a blessing in

youth?˙ What opportunities do single Chris-

tians have to draw closer to Jehovahand widen out in love?


JESUS knew that his disciples in their ownstrengthwerenot capable ofobserving all

that he had commanded. Considering thescope of their preaching commission, thestrength of their opponents, and the frailtyof the human flesh, it was clear that theyneeded superhuman power. Thus, just be-fore his ascension to heaven, Jesus assuredhis disciples: “You will receive power whentheholy spirit arrivesuponyou, andyouwillbe witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and inall Judea and Samaria and to the most dis-tant part of the earth.”—Acts 1:8.

2 That promise began to have its fulfill-ment at Pentecost 33 C.E. when holy spiritempowered the followers of Jesus Christ tofill Jerusalem with their preaching. No op-position was able to halt it. (Acts 4:20) “Allthe days until the conclusion of the systemof things,” Jesus’ faithful followers, includ-ing us, would be inurgent need of that sameGod-given strength.—Matt. 28:20.

3 Jesus promised his disciples that ‘theywould receive power when the holy spirit ar-rived upon them.’ The terms “power” and“spirit” are distinct in their meaning. God’sspirit, his active force, describes energy thatis projected and exerted on people or things

1, 2. What help did Jesus promise his disciples,and why would they need it?3. (a) Explain the difference between holy spiritand power. (b) What can power from Jehovah helpus to do?

to accomplish God’s will. Power, however,can be defined as the “ability to act or pro-duce an effect.” It can lie dormant in some-one or something until it is needed to pro-duce a given result. Thus, holy spirit mightbe likened to the electric current that ener-gizes a rechargeable battery,whereas power ismore like the latent energy that is then storedin the battery. Thepower that Jehovahgrantsto his servants by means of holy spirit giveseach one of us the ability to fulfill our Chris-tiandedication and,whennecessary, to resistnegative forces that are exerted upon us.—Read Micah 3:8; Colossians 1:29.

4 Howis the powergiven tous byholy spir-it manifested? What kinds of actions or re-actions might be the result of its influence?Aswe seek to serveGod faithfully,we facenu-merous obstacles caused either by Satan, byhis systemof things, or byourown imperfectflesh. It is important that we overcome suchobstacles in order to persevere as Christians,share regularly in the ministry, and maintaina good relationshipwith Jehovah. Let us con-siderhowholy spirit helps us tofight tempta-tion and cope with tiredness and discourage-ment.

Empowered to Fight Temptation5 Jesus taught his followers to pray: “Do

not bring us into temptation, but deliver us

4. What will be considered in this article, and why?5. How can prayer empower us?

EMPOWERED TOFIGHT TEMPTATION AND

COPE WITH DISCOURAGEMENT“You will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you.”—ACTS 1:8.


from the wicked one.” (Matt. 6:13) Jehovahwill not abandon his faithful servants whomake this request. On another occasion, Je-sus said that “the Father in heaven [will]give holy spirit to those asking him.” (Luke11:13) How reassuring that Jehovah promis-es to grant us this force for righteousness!This, of course, does not mean that Jehovahwill prevent us from being tempted. (1 Cor.10:13) But when we face temptation, that isa time to pray even more intensely.—Matt.26:42.

6 In answer to the Devil’s temptations, Je-sus quoted scriptures.God’sWord was clear-ly in Jesus’ mind when he responded: “It iswritten . . . Again it iswritten . . .Go away, Sa-tan! For it is written, ‘It is Jehovah your Godyoumustworship, and it is tohimalone youmust render sacred service.’ ” Love for Jeho-vahand forhisWord impelled Jesus to rejectthe allurements that the Tempter put beforehim. (Matt. 4:1-10) After Jesus repeatedly re-sisted temptation, Satan left him.

7 Since Jesus relied on the Scriptures toresist the Devil’s temptations, how muchmore so shouldwe! Indeed, our ability to re-sist the Devil and his agents begins with adetermination to be acquainted with God’sstandards and to adhere to them fully.Manypeople have been moved to live by Biblestandards as they studied the Scriptures andcame to appreciate God’s wisdom and righ-teousness. Indeed, “the word of God” ex-erts a power that is capable of discerning“thoughts and intentions of the heart.”(Heb. 4:12) The more one reads and pon-ders over the Scriptures, the more one cangain ‘insight into Jehovah’s trueness.’ (Dan.9:13) That being so, we do well to meditate

6. Upon what did Jesus base his answers to Satan’stemptations?7. How does the Bible help us to resist temptation?

on scriptures that deal with our specificweaknesses.

8 In addition to knowing the Scriptures,Jesus could resist temptationbecausehewas“full of holy spirit.” (Luke 4:1) In order tohave similar strength and ability, weneed todraw close to Jehovah by taking full advan-tage of all the provisions he has made to fillus with his spirit. (Jas. 4:7, 8) Among theseare Bible study, prayer, and association withfellowbelievers.Manyhave also appreciatedthebenefitof maintaining a full schedule ofChristian activities, which helps to keepthe mind focused on upbuilding spiritualthoughts.

9 What enticements to err do you have toresist? Have you ever been tempted to flirtwith someone who is not your marriagemate? If you are not married, have you everhad the urge to accept a date with an un-believer? When watching television or us-ing the Internet, Christians may suddenlybe tempted to view something unclean. Hasthat happened to you, and if so, how didyou react? It would be wise to meditate onhow one false step could lead to anotherand then to serious wrongdoing. (Jas. 1:14, 15) Think about the pain that an un-faithful act would bring to Jehovah, tothe congregation, and to your family. Aclean conscience, on the otherhand, resultsfrom maintaining loyalty to divine princi-ples. (Read Psalm 119:37; Proverbs 22:3.)Whenever you face such tests, be deter-mined to pray for strength to resist them.

10 There is something else to rememberabout the Devil’s temptations. Satan ap-proached Jesus after He had been fasting for

8. Through what means can we obtain holy spirit?9, 10. (a) What temptations are common in yourarea? (b) How can meditation and prayer empoweryou to fight temptation even when you feel tired?

40 days in the wilderness. No doubt theDevil thought that this was a particularly“convenient time” to test Jesus’ integri-ty. (Luke 4:13) Satan looks for convenienttimes to test our integrity too. It is vital,therefore, that we keep ourselves spirituallystrong. Satan often attacks when he per-ceives that his target is at its weakest point.So whenever we feel tired or discouraged,we should be more determined than ever topetition Jehovah for his protective help andholy spirit.—2 Cor.12:8-10.

Empowered to Cope WithTiredness and Discouragement

11 As imperfect humans, we feel discour-aged fromtime to time.Thatmayparticular-ly be true today because the period inwhichwe live is especially stressful. We are passingthrough perhaps the most difficult timesthat mankind as a whole has yet experi-enced. (2 Tim. 3:1-5) As Armageddon ap-proaches, economic, emotional, and otherpressures are mounting. It should not comeas a surprise, then, that some find it increas-ingly hard to fulfill their responsibility to

11, 12. (a) Why do many feel discouraged today?(b) What can empower us to resist discouragement?

look after and provide for their families.They feel tired, burdened down, worn-out,and even burned-out. If that is true in yourcase, howcanyou copewith the pressure?

12 Remember, Jesus assured his disciplesthat he would give them a helper—God’sholy spirit. (Read John 14:16,17.)This is themost powerful force in theuniverse.With it,Jehovah can “more than superabundantly”provide the strength that we need to endureany trial. (Eph. 3:20) By relying on it, saidthe apostle Paul, we receive “power be-yond what is normal,” even though we are“pressed in every way.” (2 Cor. 4:7, 8) Jeho-vah does not promise to remove stress, buthe does assure us that by means of his spirit,he will give us the strength to deal with it.—Phil. 4:13.

13 Consider the example of Stephanie, a19-year-old regular pioneer. At age 12, shesuffered a stroke and was diagnosed with abrain tumor. Since then, she has undergonesurgery twice, received radiation treatment,and suffered two more strokes, which lefther with limited movement on her left side

13. (a) How has one young person been empow-ered to cope with a difficult situation? (b) Do youknow of similar examples?

Christian meetings can invigorate us spiritually


and limited vision. Stephanie has to save herenergy for the things that she considersmore important, such as Christian meetingsand field service. Yet, she perceives Jeho-vah’s strengthening hand helping her to en-dure inmany ways. Bible-based publicationscontaining experiences of fellow Christianshave uplifted her when she has been down-hearted. Brothers and sisters have supportedher by sending her letters or by speaking en-couragingly to her before and after meet-ings. Interested people too have shown ap-preciation for what Stephanie is teachingthem by going to her home to receive theirBible instruction. For all of this, Stephaniefeels a great debtof gratitude to Jehovah.Herfavorite scripture is Psalm 41:3, which shebelieves has been fulfilled in her case.

14 When we are tired or under pressure,we must never reason that the way to dealwith stress is to cut back on spiritual activi-ties. That is the worst thing we could possi-bly do. Why? Because such activities aspersonal and family Bible study, field ser-vice, and meeting attendance are the meansby which we receive revitalizing holy spir-it. Christian activities are always refresh-ing. (Read Matthew 11:28, 29.) How oftenbrothers and sisters arrive at meetings feel-ing weary, but when the time comes to gohome, it is as if their energy has been re-newed, their spiritual batteries recharged!

15 This is not to say, of course, that theload of Christian discipleship is weightless.It takes effort to be a faithful Christian.(Matt. 16:24-26; Luke 13:24) Nevertheless,bymeans ofholy spirit, Jehovah cangive thetired one strength. “Those who are hoping

14. What must we avoid when we are discouraged,and why?15. (a) Does Jehovah promise that he will makelife effortless for a Christian? Explain Scripturally.(b) What does God promise us, leading to whatquestion?

in Jehovah will regain power,” wrote theprophet Isaiah. “They will mount up withwings like eagles. They will run and notgrow weary; they will walk and not tire out.”(Isa. 40:29-31) That being the case,wewoulddo well to ask, What truly is at the root ofspiritual fatigue?

16 Jehovah’s Word urges us to “make sureof the more important things.” (Phil. 1:10) Likening the Christian life course to along-distance footrace, under inspirationthe apostle Paul recommended: “Let us alsoput off every weight . . . , and let us runwithendurance the race that is set before us.”(Heb. 12:1) His point was that we mustavoid needless pursuits, needless weights,that will tire us out. It may be that some ofus are simply trying to squeeze too muchinto already busy lives. So if you often feeltired and under pressure, you might benefitfrom reviewing how you meet the demandsof secular work, the frequency with whichyou travel for pleasure, and the intensitywith which you pursue sports or other lei-sure activities. Reasonableness and modestyshould move all of us to recognize our limi-tations andkeepunnecessarycommitmentsto a minimum.

17 It may also be that some among us feel

16. What can we do to eliminate possible causes oftiredness or discouragement?17. Why may some feel discouraged, but what as-surance does Jehovah provide in this regard?

How Would You Answer?˙ How does Bible reading empower

us?˙ How do prayer and meditation

empower us?˙ How can you eliminate potential

causes of discouragement?


a measure of discouragement because theend of this systemof things has not come assoon as we expected. (Prov. 13:12) Any whofeel this way, however, can draw encourage-ment from the words found at Habakkuk2:3: “The vision is yet for the appointedtime, and it keeps panting on to the end,and it will not tell a lie. Even if it should de-lay, keep in expectation of it; for it will with-out fail come true. It will not be late.” Wehave Jehovah’s assurance that the end ofthis system of things will come right onschedule!

18 Surely, all of Jehovah’s faithful servants

18. (a) What promises give you strength? (b) Howwill the next article be of benefit to us?

long for the day when tiredness and dis-couragement will be gone, when all alivewill enjoy “youthful vigor.” (Job 33:25)Evennowwe canbemademightyon the in-side through the action of holy spirit aswe participate in invigorating spiritual ac-tivities. (2 Cor. 4:16; Eph. 3:16) Do notlet fatigue cause you to miss out on eter-nal blessings. Every trial—whether causedby temptation, tiredness, or discourage-ment—will pass, if not immediately, then inGod’s new world. In the following article,we will examine how holy spirit empowersChristians to withstand persecution, resistharmful peer pressure, and endure variousother adversities.

JEHOVAH’S people are no strangers to ad-versity of one type or another. Some

trials are due to our own imperfections orare a consequenceof the systemof things inwhich we live. Others are due to the enmitythat exists between those who serve Godand thosewho do not. (Gen. 3:15) From ear-ly on in human history, God has helped hisfaithful servants to withstand religious per-secution, resist harmful peer pressure, andendure all kinds of other adversities. Hisholy spirit can empower us to do the same.

1. Why do Jehovah’s people face many adversities?

Helped to WithstandReligious Persecution

2 Religious persecution is harassment orinjury deliberately inflicted on people be-cause of their faith or beliefs. Its purpose isto stamp out such beliefs, prevent theirspread, or break the integrity of believers.Persecution can take various forms, someovert, some subtle. The Bible likens Satan’sattacks to those of both a young lion and acobra.—Read Psalm 91:13.2. What is the aim of religious persecution, andwhat forms can it take?

EMPOWERED TOOVERCOME ANY TRIAL

“For all things I have the strength by virtue of himwho imparts power to me.”—PHIL. 4:13.


3 Like a savage lion, Satan has often madeopen, frontal attacks by means of violence,imprisonment, or ban. (Ps. 94:20) Yearbookreports describing acts of Jehovah’s Witness-es in modern times contain numerous ac-counts of such tactics. Lawless mobs, someled by clergymen or political fanatics, havemistreated God’s people in many places.These lionlike attacks have caused a few tostumble. Like a cobra, the Devil also launch-es treacherous strikes from hidden places inorder to poison minds and deceive peopleinto doing his will. This type of attack is de-signed to weaken or corrupt us spiritually.But by means of God’s holy spirit, we canwithstand both forms of persecution.

4 Imagining different scenarios of possi-ble future persecution is not the best way toprepare for it. The fact is that we simply can-not know what the future holds in suchmat-ters, so there is little to be gained from wor-rying about things that may never happen.There is, however, something that we cando. Most of those who have successfully en-dured persecution have done so by meditat-ing on the faithful course of integrity keep-ers, as recorded in the Scriptures, as well ason the teachings and example of Jesus. Thishas enabled them to deepen their love for Je-hovah. That love, in turn, helped them to re-sist whatever trials came their way.

5 Consider the example of two of our sis-ters in Malawi. In an effort to get them tobuy political party cards, a violent mob beat,stripped, and threatened to rape them. Themob lyingly told them that even the mem-bers of the Bethel family had obtained par-ty cards. The sisters’ response? “We serveonly Jehovah God. So if the brothers at the

3. What characterizes lionlike and cobralike perse-cution?4, 5. What is the best way to prepare for persecu-tion, and why? Give an example.

branch office have bought cards, that doesnot make any difference to us. We will notcompromise, even if you kill us!” After tak-ing that courageous stand, the sisters werereleased.

6 The apostle Paul noted that Christians inThessalonica had accepted the message oftruth “under much tribulation” yet “withjoy of holy spirit.” (1 Thess. 1:6) Indeed,many Christians, past and present, whohave faced and overcome persecution reportthat at the height of their trials, they experi-enced inner peace, one aspect of the fruitageof God’s holy spirit. (Gal. 5:22) That peace,in turn, helped to guard their hearts andmental powers. Yes, Jehovah uses his ac-tive force to empower his servants to copewith trials and to act wisely when adversitystrikes.�

7 Onlookers have been amazed by the de-termination of God’s people to maintaintheir integrity even in the face of viciouspersecution. The Witnesses seemed imbuedwith superhuman strength, and indeed theywere. The apostle Peter assures us: “If you arebeing reproached for the name of Christ,you are happy, because the spirit of glory,even the spirit of God, is resting upon you.”(1 Pet. 4:14) That we are persecuted for up-holding righteous standards indicates thatwe have divine approval. (Matt. 5:10-12;John15:20) What joy this proof of Jehovah’sblessing brings!

Helped to Resist Peer Pressure8 A more subtle form of opposition that

� For examples, see The Watchtower, May 1, 2001,page 16; and Awake! February 8, 1993, pages 21 and 22.

6, 7. How does Jehovah empower his servants toface persecution?8. (a) What enabled Joshua and Caleb to resist peerpressure? (b) What can we learn from Joshua andCaleb’s example?


Christians must endure is negative peerpressure. However, because Jehovah’s spiritis much more powerful than the spirit ofthe world, we can resist people who ridiculeus, who spread untruths about us, or whoattempt to force us to conform to their stan-dards. What was it, for example, that en-abled Joshua and Caleb to disagree with theviews of the ten other spies who were sentinto the land of Canaan? Holy spirit stirredwithin them a different “spirit,” or mentalinclination.—Read Numbers 13:30; 14:6-10, 24.

9 Holy spirit likewise empowered Jesus’apostles to obey God rather than thosewhommanyesteemed as teachers of true re-ligion. (Acts 4:21, 31; 5:29, 32) Most peopleprefer to go along with the crowd, so tospeak, to avoid confrontation or conflict.True Christians, though, often have to takea stand for what they know to be right.Even so, thanks to the strength imparted byGod’s active force, they do not fear to be dif-ferent. (2Tim.1:7)Considerone area inwhich we must not give in to peer pres-sure.

10 Some young ones might face a di-lemma if they learn that a friend hasengaged in unscriptural conduct. Theymay feel that seeking spiritual help fortheir friend would violate an unwrittencode of silence; therefore, they refuseto speak about the matter because of amisguided sense of loyalty. A wrong-doer may even pressure his friends tokeep his sin hidden. Of course, thiskindof problem is not unique to youngpeople. Some adults too may find it dif-ficult to approach congregation elders

9. Why must Christians be willing to differfrom the majority?10. What dilemma might some Christiansface?

concerning the wrongdoing of a friend or afamily member. But how should true Chris-tians react to such pressure?

11 Imagine this situation. Suppose thatAlex, a young brother, learned that Steve,his friend in the congregation, was in thehabit of viewing pornography. Alex tellsSteve that he is deeply concerned aboutwhat his friend is doing. However, Steveshrugs off his words. When Alex urges himto talk to the elders about it, Steve respondsthat if the two really are friends, then Alexwill not tell onhim. ShouldAlex be afraid oflosing his friend? He might wonder whomthe elders would believe if Steve deniedeverything. Still, the situation is not goingto improve if Alex keeps quiet about it. In-deed, it could lead to Steve’s losing his rela-tionship with Jehovah. Alex would do wellto recall that “trembling at men is what lays

11, 12. What is the best response if a member ofthe congregation urges you not to reveal his or herwrongdoing, and why?

What can we learn from Joshua and Caleb?


a snare, but he that is trusting in Jehovahwill be protected.” (Prov. 29:25) What elsecould Alex do? He might lovingly approachSteve again and lay bare his fault. That willtake courage. It may well be, though, thatthis time Steve will welcome the opportuni-ty to talk about his problem. Alex shouldagain encourage Steve to speak to the eldersand tell him that if he does not do so with-in a reasonable period of time, then Alexwill alert them.—Lev. 5:1.

12 If you ever have to handle such a situa-tion, your friend may not at first appreciateyour efforts to help. But he might in timecome to realize that you are acting in hisbest interests. If the erring one receives andaccepts help, then he might be lastinglygrateful to you for your courage and loyalty.On the other hand, if he becomes hardenedagainst you, is he really the kind of friendthat you want? Pleasing our greatest Friend,Jehovah, is always the right thing to do.Whenweput himfirst, otherswho lovehimwill respect us for our loyalty and becometrue friends. We should never allow placefor the Devil in the Christian congregation.If wewere to do so, we truly would grieve Je-

hovah’s holy spirit. We act in harmo-ny with it, however, by working tokeep the Christian congregation pure.—Eph. 4:27, 30.

Empowered to EndureAll Kinds of Adversity

13 Adversitymay takemany forms—afinancial reversal, the loss of employ-ment, a natural disaster, the death of aloved one, a health crisis, and so on.Since we live in “critical times,” it is tobe expected that sooner or later all ofus will have to deal with some kind oftrial. (2 Tim. 3:1) When that occurs, itis important not to panic. Holy spirit

can empower us to endure any kind of ad-versity.

14 Job suffered one adversity after anoth-er. He lost his livelihood, children, friends,and health, and his wife lost confidence inJehovah. (Job 1:13-19; 2:7-9) Yet, Job founda true comforter in Elihu. His message, aswell as the substance of Jehovah’s own mes-sage to Job, was: “Stand still and show your-self attentive to the wonderful works ofGod.” (Job 37:14) What helped Job to en-dure his trials? And what can help us toendure ours? Remembering and ponder-ing the various manifestations of Jehovah’sholy spirit and power. (Job 38:1-41; 42:1, 2)Perhapswe recall times inourown lifewhenwe saw evidence of God’s interest in us per-sonally. He is still interested in us.

15 The apostle Paul endured many life-threatening adversities for the sake of hisfaith. (2Cor.11:23-28)Howdidhemaintainbalance andemotional stabilityunder those

13. What kinds of adversity are Jehovah’s peoplefacing, and why are such things so prevalent?14. What empowered Job to endure his adversities?15. What strengthened the apostle Paul to enduretrials?

How can you help a friend whocommits some wrong?


trying circumstances? By prayerful relianceon Jehovah. During the time of testing thatapparently culminated in his martyrdom,Paul wrote: “The Lord stood near me and in-fused power into me, that through me thepreaching might be fully accomplished andall thenationsmight hear it; and Iwas deliv-ered from the lion’s mouth.” (2 Tim. 4:17)Therefore, from personal experience, Paulcould assure fellow believers that there wasno need to “be anxious over anything.”—Read Philippians 4:6, 7,13.

16 A pioneer named Roxana is one whohas seen how Jehovah provides for his peo-ple. When she asked her employer for per-mission to take some days off to attend oneof our conventions, he angrily retorted thatif she went, he would fire her. Roxana wentanyway, fervently praying that she mightkeep her job. After that, she felt calm. Sureenough, on the Monday after the conven-tion, her boss did fire her. Roxana was per-turbed. She needed that job, low-payingthough it was, to help support her family.Again she prayed, and she reflected on thefact that God had provided for her spiritual-ly at the convention, so he could surely alsoprovide for her physically. As she walkedhome, Roxana sawa “HelpWanted” sign forexperienced operators of industrial sewingmachines, and she applied for a job. The

16, 17. Give an example of how Jehovah is empow-ering his people to face adversities today.

manager realized that she had no experi-ence but offered her a job anyway, at almostdouble the wages she had been earning.Roxana felt that her prayers had been an-swered. The greatest blessing, however, wasthat she was able to share the good newswith several of her fellow workers. Five ofthem, including the manager, accepted thetruth and were baptized.

17 At times, it might seem that our prayersare not being answered—at least not rightaway or in the way we expect. If so, doubt-less there is a good reason. Jehovah knowsit, but it may become clear to us only in thefuture. Of one thing we can be sure—Goddoes not abandon his faithful ones.—Heb.6:10.

Helped to OvercomeTrials and Temptations

18 Jehovah’s people are not surprised tomeet up with temptation, discouragement,persecution, and peer pressure. The world isbasically hostile toward us. (John 15:17-19)Yet, holy spirit can make us equal to anychallenge we might face in our service toGod. Jehovah will not let us be tempted be-yond what we can bear. (1 Cor. 10:13) Hewill by no means ever leave or forsake us.(Heb. 13:5) Obedience to his inspired Wordprotects and fortifies us. Moreover, God’sspirit can impel fellow believers to impartthe assistance we need when we need itmost.

19 May all of us continue to seek holy spir-it through prayer and study of the Scrip-tures. May we go on “being made powerfulwith all power to the extent of [God’s] glori-ous might so as to endure fully and be long-suffering with joy.”—Col.1:11.

18, 19. (a) Why can we expect to face trials andtemptations? (b) How can you face trials success-fully?

How Would You Answer?˙ How can you prepare to withstand

persecution?˙ How should you react if someone

urges you not to reveal wrongdoing?˙ What confidence can you have in

the face of any kind of adversity?

2011 Watchtower January 15th

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Transcript of 2011 Watchtower January 15th