00:00:01 Welcome, brothers and sisters.
00:00:04 Here are some highlights from this month’s program.
00:00:07 We’ll discuss the many ways
00:00:09 that prayer can help us resist temptations.
00:00:12 For example, we’ll see how prayer helped Narciso leave behind
00:00:17 practices that conflicted with Bible principles.
00:00:21 Last year, millions were delighted to receive
00:00:24 the revised New World Translation in Spanish.
00:00:27 We’ll go behind the scenes
00:00:29 and see what it took to produce this translation of God’s Word.
00:00:34 Among Jehovah’s most endearing qualities
00:00:37 is his willingness to forgive.
00:00:40 Our new music video reminds us that with Jehovah’s help,
00:00:43 we too can forgive others.
00:00:47 This is JW Broadcasting®.
00:01:08 This month, we’re going to discuss the theme
00:01:11 “Pray Continually,
00:01:13 So That You May Not Enter Into Temptation.”
00:01:16 Those words of Jesus
00:01:18 are recorded at Matthew 26:41.
00:01:23 In this discussion, we’ll answer three important questions:
00:01:28 (1) Why did Jesus pray?
00:01:32 (2) What temptations did he face?
00:01:36 and (3) What lessons can we learn from Jesus’ example?
00:01:40 Let’s start by reading that verse together.
00:01:43 That’s Matthew 26:41:
00:01:48 “Keep on the watch and pray continually,
00:01:51 “so that you may not enter into temptation.
00:01:55 “The spirit, of course, is eager [or, “willing,” ftn.],
00:01:58 but the flesh is weak.”
00:02:01 Why did Jesus pray?
00:02:04 Jesus uttered these words
00:02:06 on the final night before his execution.
00:02:09 No doubt this was the most difficult evening
00:02:12 that Jesus had ever faced.
00:02:15 The surrounding verses tell us
00:02:17 that “he began to feel grieved and to be greatly troubled.”
00:02:22 It’s hard for us to comprehend fully
00:02:24 the stress and pressure Jesus was facing on that night.
00:02:29 He knew that Satan was about to throw everything he could at him.
00:02:34 Jesus also knew that he’d soon die
00:02:37 an agonizing death.
00:02:40 But something else was even harder for him to handle.
00:02:45 He realized that he was about to be falsely charged
00:02:49 and convicted of the despicable crime
00:02:52 of blasphemy against Jehovah’s holy name.
00:02:57 The study note on Matthew 26:39 says:
00:03:02 “Jesus no doubt felt great concern
00:03:06 “over the reproach that his death
00:03:08 “as one charged with blasphemy and sedition
00:03:11 “could bring on God,
00:03:14 “moving him to pray
00:03:16 that this ‘cup’ pass away from him.”
00:03:20 In the face of all that pressure,
00:03:22 would Jesus remain faithful until death?
00:03:26 The lives of countless people hung in the balance.
00:03:30 Even more important,
00:03:32 his Father’s reputation was involved.
00:03:36 Under all that intense emotional stress,
00:03:40 what did Jesus do?
00:03:42 He prayed, not just once,
00:03:45 but three times!
00:03:47 Notice how Luke describes what happened,
00:03:50 as recorded at Luke 22:44:
00:03:55 “But he was in such agony
00:03:57 “that he kept praying more earnestly;
00:04:00 “and his sweat became as drops of blood
00:04:04 falling to the ground.”
00:04:06 What’s the lesson for us?
00:04:09 Well, think about it.
00:04:11 Jesus knew Satan well.
00:04:13 Jesus had observed from heaven
00:04:15 all the temptations that Satan uses
00:04:18 in his efforts to ensnare God’s servants.
00:04:21 Yet, Jesus did not feel that he could easily handle
00:04:25 whatever “the Tempter” might place before him.
00:04:29 So this is a clear lesson for us:
00:04:31 If the perfect Son of God
00:04:34 felt the need to pray for divine help and strength,
00:04:37 how much more so should we.
00:04:40 How appropriate then is the admonition:
00:04:44 “Pray continually,
00:04:46 so that you may not enter into temptation.”
00:04:50 But what does it mean to “enter into temptation”?
00:04:55 The Watchtower back in 1951 explained:
00:04:58 “We ourselves under Satan’s influence
00:05:03 “create the temptation by thinking how nice it would be
00:05:07 “to do or to have something contrary to God’s will,
00:05:11 “and then not dismissing the desire created by this improper thinking,
00:05:15 “but considering it more and more.
00:05:19 “In this way we are drawn out
00:05:22 “and led to ignore God’s counsel and warning.
00:05:25 We enter into temptation.”
00:05:30 Prayer helps us when we face temptation.
00:05:33 It helps us to focus on what Jehovah wants us to do
00:05:37 and to ask him for the strength not to enter into temptation.
00:05:42 Our second question:
00:05:43 What temptations did Jesus face
00:05:47 while here on earth?
00:05:49 We probably immediately think of the occasion shortly after Jesus’ baptism
00:05:54 when he was tempted three times by the Devil.
00:05:57 Let’s quickly summarize those three temptations.
00:06:01 First, Jesus was asked to turn stones into bread
00:06:06 at a time when he was extremely hungry.
00:06:09 Basically, Satan appealed to Jesus’ desire for food.
00:06:14 However, Jesus immediately rejected the temptation
00:06:17 to satisfy that desire in an inappropriate way.
00:06:23 Second, Satan challenged Jesus
00:06:25 to throw himself off the temple battlement.
00:06:28 Jesus rejected this temptation as well.
00:06:32 Why?
00:06:33 Because he knew that such a spectacular display
00:06:37 would amount to a prideful testing of Jehovah.
00:06:42 Finally,
00:06:43 Satan offered Jesus
00:06:45 “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.”
00:06:49 But at what price?
00:06:52 Satan demanded that Jesus offer him in return
00:06:55 an act of worship.
00:06:57 What was Jesus’ answer?
00:06:59 He flatly refused, saying: “Go away, Satan!”
00:07:06 Have you had to face similar temptations?
00:07:08 Well, you might quickly answer:
00:07:10 ‘No one has asked me to turn stones into bread
00:07:13 ‘or to jump off a tall building.
00:07:15 ‘And certainly no one has offered me
00:07:17 the rulership of all the governments in the world!’
00:07:20 But notice, please, we said “similar,” not “the same.”
00:07:24 So have you faced similar temptations?
00:07:27 No doubt you have.
00:07:29 Most of us have faced temptations
00:07:32 involving fleshly desires.
00:07:34 It may have been temptations to commit immorality
00:07:39 or temptations that appealed to greed
00:07:41 or an unbalanced concern about material things.
00:07:45 Other temptations may have appealed to our pride or tested our humility
00:07:50 or our desire to impress others.
00:07:55 And who of us hasn’t been tempted by opportunities
00:07:58 offered to us by Satan’s world
00:08:00 for wealth, power, or position?
00:08:04 No matter what temptation comes our way, though,
00:08:08 remember Jesus’ words: “Pray continually,
00:08:11 so that you may not enter into temptation.”
00:08:16 But were those the only temptations that Jesus faced?
00:08:20 No.
00:08:21 How do we know?
00:08:22 Well, notice Luke’s words
00:08:24 found at Luke 4:13:
00:08:29 “So the Devil, having finished all the temptation,
00:08:34 departed from him until another convenient time.”
00:08:40 Did Satan ever come back again to tempt Jesus?
00:08:43 He must have because of what we’re told
00:08:46 at Hebrews 4:15.
00:08:51 Let’s read that:
00:08:53 “For we do not have a high priest
00:08:55 “who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
00:08:59 “but we have one who has been tested
00:09:02 “in all respects as we have,
00:09:05 but without sin.”
00:09:07 Have you ever wondered what other “convenient time”
00:09:11 Satan selected to test Jesus?
00:09:13 Well, let’s consider some possibilities.
00:09:16 One example occurred in 32 C.E.,
00:09:20 about two and a half years after the initial temptations.
00:09:25 Please turn to John 6:15:
00:09:30 “Then Jesus, knowing that they were about to come
00:09:33 “and seize him to make him king,
00:09:36 withdrew again to the mountain all alone.”
00:09:40 This seems like a similar temptation
00:09:43 to what Jesus had already faced.
00:09:45 But this time, the setting was different.
00:09:49 Satan didn’t directly offer the kingship to Jesus.
00:09:52 There was no demand for Jesus to worship the Devil.
00:09:56 Rather, those following Jesus wanted to make him their king.
00:10:01 This temptation was going to be by popular demand.
00:10:06 How did Jesus react?
00:10:08 Well, even before they could make their move,
00:10:11 Jesus withdrew from them to a mountain, just by himself.
00:10:15 And what did he do on the mountain?
00:10:19 We find the answer in a detail
00:10:21 added in the parallel account recorded by Matthew.
00:10:26 Let’s read it together.
00:10:28 It’s Matthew 14:23:
00:10:32 “After sending the crowds away,
00:10:35 he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.”
00:10:40 Yes, Jesus went there not just to avoid the crowds
00:10:45 but to pray.
00:10:47 The third question:
00:10:49 What lessons can we learn
00:10:50 from Jesus’ example?
00:10:53 Even though we may have passed a test,
00:10:55 or avoided entering into temptation, in the past,
00:10:59 we shouldn’t be surprised
00:11:02 if a similar temptation may arise again
00:11:05 but in a different form or situation
00:11:08 and at a convenient time.
00:11:10 For whom?
00:11:12 For Satan, not us.
00:11:15 Another occasion occurred when Jesus and his apostles
00:11:19 were in the vicinity of Mount Hermon,
00:11:21 near Caesarea Philippi.
00:11:24 Jesus’ apostles had just acknowledged him
00:11:27 as “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
00:11:30 So Jesus took the opportunity to expand their thinking further.
00:11:35 Notice what’s recorded
00:11:37 at Matthew 16:21:
00:11:41 “From that time forward,
00:11:43 “Jesus began explaining to his disciples
00:11:46 “that he must go to Jerusalem
00:11:48 “and suffer many things
00:11:50 “from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed,
00:11:55 and on the third day be raised up.”
00:12:00 What was the reaction of his apostles to this information?
00:12:03 Let’s read on in verse 22:
00:12:06 “At this Peter took him aside
00:12:09 “and began to rebuke him, saying:
00:12:12 “‘Be kind to yourself, Lord;
00:12:14 you will not have this happen to you at all.’”
00:12:17 Although these words were uttered by a close friend,
00:12:21 Jesus immediately recognized
00:12:23 that they reflected Satan’s wishes, not Jehovah’s.
00:12:27 So he firmly responded:
00:12:29 “Get behind me, Satan!
00:12:32 “You are a stumbling block to me,
00:12:34 “because you think, not God’s thoughts,
00:12:37 but those of men.”
00:12:40 Although this account doesn’t specifically refer
00:12:43 to Jesus praying at that time,
00:12:45 we know that Jesus was a man of prayer.
00:12:49 The apostle Paul tells us at Hebrews 5:7:
00:12:53 “During his life on earth,
00:12:55 “Christ offered up supplications and also petitions,
00:12:59 with strong outcries and tears.”
00:13:03 So no doubt those prayers helped Jesus
00:13:05 to focus on the reason why he came to earth.
00:13:09 That clear focus helped him to see
00:13:12 that Peter’s misguided counsel
00:13:14 would only help to further the Tempter’s cause.
00:13:19 What does this teach us?
00:13:21 This shows us that temptations don’t always come
00:13:25 from those who are Jehovah’s enemies.
00:13:28 Some who are close to us
00:13:30 may even serve Satan’s ends unintentionally,
00:13:34 as was the case with Peter.
00:13:36 It could be an employer, a workmate, a schoolmate,
00:13:40 a friend, a relative, a parent,
00:13:43 a brother, or a marriage mate.
00:13:47 Let’s examine another example of how Satan returned to Jesus.
00:13:52 This time, it was by means of the religious leaders.
00:13:56 They attacked Jesus verbally,
00:13:58 misquoting Scripture and hurling senseless accusations at him.
00:14:03 But Jesus understood what they were up to and frankly told them:
00:14:08 “You are from your father the Devil.”
00:14:12 We shouldn’t be surprised if apostates and other opposers
00:14:16 use similar tactics today.
00:14:18 Just as Jesus was accused of blasphemy
00:14:22 and political sedition,
00:14:24 so too God’s people have been labeled as “extremists”
00:14:28 and have been the victims of all sorts of false accusations.
00:14:33 Like Jesus, we remember
00:14:35 who really is behind all these attacks
00:14:39 —Satan, the great Tempter!
00:14:42 What will help us to avoid the temptation
00:14:45 of giving up because of discouragement?
00:14:48 How can we successfully handle
00:14:50 all these types of attacks?
00:14:53 Paul tells us what to do.
00:14:57 We read at Ephesians 6:11:
00:15:02 “Put on the complete suit of armor from God
00:15:05 “so that you may be able to stand firm
00:15:08 against the crafty acts of the Devil.”
00:15:11 After speaking about the importance of putting on the spiritual suit of armor,
00:15:16 Paul goes on to say in verse 18
00:15:20 that this should be done together “with every form of prayer
00:15:24 “and supplication
00:15:26 [as we] carry on prayer on every occasion in spirit.”
00:15:32 So, what have we learned from our discussion?
00:15:35 It seems that Satan didn’t try again to tempt Jesus directly,
00:15:40 but he was persistent.
00:15:42 He kept coming back in different guises.
00:15:45 He used others to give Jesus wrong advice,
00:15:48 to oppose and ridicule him,
00:15:51 as well as to try to make him a king.
00:15:54 Perhaps we’ve rejected some serious temptations in the past,
00:15:59 but remember, Satan doesn’t give up on us
00:16:02 just because he failed in the past.
00:16:05 At a time convenient to him,
00:16:08 he may come back to tempt us with something completely different
00:16:13 or the same temptation
00:16:15 dressed up in a different form.
00:16:18 So, what’s the key to not entering into temptation?
00:16:23 We need to remember and apply Jesus’ admonition:
00:16:28 “Pray continually,
00:16:30 so that you may not enter into temptation.”
00:16:35 So far, we’ve discussed how we could “enter into temptation”
00:16:39 to do something wrong.
00:16:41 However, we may also be tempted
00:16:44 not to do something right.
00:16:47 For example,
00:16:49 although we know that we should forgive another person
00:16:52 for something they have done against us,
00:16:55 perhaps we may enter into the temptation
00:16:58 of avoiding that person and not forgiving them,
00:17:01 even though there may be a basis for doing so.
00:17:05 What can help us in such a situation?
00:17:09 Again, the answer is: Pray for Jehovah’s help.
00:17:14 This is the theme of our music video for this month.
00:17:18 It involves a very painful situation
00:17:21 between a mother and a daughter.
00:17:24 Let’s see the role of prayer
00:17:26 in starting to resolve
00:17:28 what might seem to be an impossible problem.
00:17:32 I’ve got this grudge. I’m holding it in.
00:17:38 But it’s so heavy; it pulls me down.
00:17:45 I wish I could turn this around.
00:17:51 I understand the need to forgive,
00:17:58 But it’s not easy if it’s not my fault.
00:18:04 These thoughts bring forgiveness to a halt.
00:18:11 It’s right about now that I have to pray.
00:18:16 Jehovah saw what happened; he knows my pain.
00:18:21 But most of all he gives me
00:18:26 Strength to let it go.
00:18:31 No, I can’t do this on my own.
00:18:36 I pray, “Jehovah, please help me; Help me forgive freely.”
00:18:46 He’ll help me to reflect The way he forgives, the way he forgets.
00:18:55 I pray, “Jehovah, please help me; Help me forgive freely.”
00:19:07 Forgive freely.
00:19:13 Trying my best to let it all go,
00:19:20 But at times, it comes back to mind.
00:19:26 I wish I could put all this behind.
00:19:32 I realize that I can’t hold on.
00:19:39 Forgiveness means you don’t bring it back up.
00:19:44 This only gets me in a rut.
00:19:52 It’s right about now that I have to pray.
00:19:57 Jehovah saw what happened; he knows my pain.
00:20:02 But most of all he gives me
00:20:07 Strength to let it go.
00:20:12 No, I can’t do this on my own.
00:20:17 I pray, “Jehovah, please help me; Help me forgive freely.”
00:20:27 He’ll help me to reflect The way he forgives, the way he forgets.
00:20:36 I pray, “Jehovah, please help me; Help me forgive freely.”
00:20:48 Forgive freely. Forgive freely.
00:20:58 Forgive freely. Forgive freely.
00:21:12 I’m sure this video touched our hearts.
00:21:15 What a difficult situation!
00:21:18 And, of course, such situations are not resolved overnight.
00:21:23 Some wounds take a long time to heal,
00:21:27 but it’s possible to start the process of healing
00:21:31 by trying to forgive.
00:21:33 But we can’t do it alone.
00:21:36 Remember what our song beautifully emphasized.
00:21:39 Keep praying, “Jehovah, please help me;
00:21:44 help me forgive freely.”
00:21:47 In our next video,
00:21:49 we’ll see another example of how prayer helps us today.
00:21:53 Narciso Garcia worked hard to bring his life
00:21:57 in harmony with Bible principles.
00:22:00 But it wasn’t easy.
00:22:02 Notice how he dealt with temptations similar to those Jesus faced.
00:22:25 I sweated blood to train myself in martial arts.
00:22:32 So when I joined a big competition, I won the fight.
00:22:36 My life changed.
00:22:39 I became the bodyguard of a well-known politician
00:22:43 and taught martial arts to some popular celebrities.
00:22:49 My students and my boss
00:22:52 and his family —they all became part of my life.
00:23:00 But I was still looking for something.
00:23:12 One day, some Jehovah’s Witnesses came by and gave me a tract.
00:23:19 I was surprised
00:23:21 and really happy to learn God’s name.
00:23:25 I thought, ‘This could be what I’ve been looking for.’
00:23:31 So I accepted a Bible study,
00:23:33 and I realized that I owed everything to God.
00:23:49 When I attended my first meeting,
00:23:52 I saw how humble and caring the Witnesses were.
00:24:03 But my neighbors made fun of me.
00:24:07 I wanted to beat them because I knew I could.
00:24:17 I was ashamed that I couldn’t do anything
00:24:20 to defend Jehovah’s name.
00:24:23 Then one morning before going to the meeting,
00:24:27 for the first time,
00:24:30 I approached Jehovah in prayer, asking him to give me courage.
00:24:34 I couldn’t do it alone.
00:24:40 After that prayer, I felt that Jehovah really strengthened me,
00:24:45 and I humbly told the neighbors
00:24:48 that I was going to the Kingdom Hall.
00:24:54 Since then,
00:24:56 I’ve always prayed to Jehovah when making decisions.
00:25:01 I needed to leave martial arts.
00:25:04 I had to quit my job as a bodyguard and stop carrying guns.
00:25:20 Doing his will wasn’t always easy,
00:25:23 but Jehovah gave me the courage to do so.
00:25:33 My boss asked me to visit him.
00:25:36 He offered me a new car
00:25:39 and double my salary.
00:25:43 His offer was very tempting.
00:25:47 So I went to the washroom and intensely
00:25:50 prayed again to Jehovah for courage.
00:25:56 “Jehovah, help me, please,” I said.
00:26:01 “I can’t do this on my own.”
00:26:10 In the end, I chose Jehovah.
00:26:13 Jehovah is more precious to me than anything this world could offer.
00:26:19 I told him,
00:26:23 “Sorry, but I am not accepting your offer.”
00:26:28 It felt like losing a family in death.
00:26:34 Eventually, I got baptized.
00:26:38 I realized that it didn’t matter what people thought about me.
00:26:43 It’s how Jehovah sees me that matters.
00:26:47 Now I am very grateful
00:26:49 to be with the brothers in serving Jehovah.
00:26:54 I am now serving as a regular pioneer.
00:27:01 And this is the life
00:27:03 that I had been looking for.
00:27:11 How was Narciso tempted?
00:27:14 When his neighbors made fun of him for going to the Kingdom Hall,
00:27:18 he thought about using these
00:27:21 and going back to using martial arts.
00:27:24 Yes, ridicule tested Narciso’s humility.
00:27:28 But through prayer,
00:27:30 he was able to speak calmly and confidently with his neighbors.
00:27:35 Narciso’s boss tempted him with a new car and a raise.
00:27:40 What did Narciso do?
00:27:42 He immediately went to a quiet place
00:27:46 and prayed intensely.
00:27:49 Jehovah gave him the courage to make the right decision.
00:27:55 When we face similar temptations,
00:27:57 we can be confident that through prayer,
00:28:00 Jehovah will help us to do the right thing.
00:28:05 One way Jehovah responds to prayer
00:28:07 is by directing us to the Scriptures.
00:28:11 There we find wonderful examples of faithful servants
00:28:15 who overcame all sorts of challenges.
00:28:19 In the following dramatization,
00:28:22 let’s see what we can learn from the apostle Peter.
00:28:31 After working unassigned territory,
00:28:34 I made up my mind to put in my application for regular pioneering.
00:28:50 However, things were going really well at work.
00:29:01 Is this the right time to make a drastic change?
00:29:09 A new foreign-language group is being formed in our congregation.
00:29:19 There’s no way I’m joining.
00:29:23 Do you know how difficult it is?
00:29:26 Maybe this isn’t right for me.
00:29:29 The culture and language are so different.
00:29:38 What do you think?
00:29:52 With our youngest now
00:29:54 in his own assignment,
00:29:57 maybe we could serve where the need is greater,
00:29:59 like we did before the kids.
00:30:18 But we’re not that energetic couple anymore.
00:30:33 Maybe it’s too much.
00:30:41 I shared my concerns about pioneering
00:30:43 with someone who’s been doing it for a long time.
00:30:49 He reminded me of the apostle Peter’s example.
00:31:02 He was a fisherman by trade,
00:31:04 but Jesus knew
00:31:07 he could be so much more.
00:31:12 Peter hadn’t caught anything all night,
00:31:16 but with Jesus next to him, things would be different.
00:31:32 But Peter felt overwhelmed.
00:31:39 Simon,
00:31:47 stop being afraid.
00:31:50 From now on you will be catching men alive.
00:32:03 The ministry would be his life’s work.
00:32:13 The apostle Peter faced a situation
00:32:15 similar to mine in Syrian Antioch.
00:32:18 Initially, he associated freely
00:32:21 with Gentile Christians.
00:32:25 But then some from the congregation in Jerusalem visited,
00:32:35 and his fear of their opinion closed his heart.
00:32:44 Jehovah used
00:32:46 the apostle Paul to help Peter put aside
00:32:49 his fear of man.
00:33:10 So I prayed to Jehovah to help me open my heart wide.
00:33:19 We turned to the wisdom
00:33:21 of older ones,
00:33:24 and they reminded us of Peter’s ministry.
00:33:31 He may have been our age when he moved
00:33:33 to where the need was greater in Babylon.
00:33:35 They must have had concerns like ours.
00:33:38 Could they make the trip?
00:33:40 adapt to a different place?
00:33:45 But they trusted in Jehovah to help them succeed.
00:34:07 We can do the same.
00:34:19 If we overcome our doubts
00:34:31 and open our hearts wide,
00:34:38 we can conquer fear
00:34:49 and receive Jehovah’s blessing
00:34:55 to the full.
00:35:01 Peter was like us.
00:35:03 He loved Jehovah.
00:35:05 He loved his brothers.
00:35:08 He also had doubts and fears that sometimes held him back.
00:35:13 But Peter relied on Jehovah to conquer fear.
00:35:17 We can do the same.
00:35:20 Our prayers are not limited to asking Jehovah
00:35:23 for help with our concerns and our needs.
00:35:27 We can also ask Jehovah to help others.
00:35:31 We’ll see that in action in our next video.
00:35:40 I pray for my brothers and sisters every day
00:35:44 because I know Jehovah is the Hearer of prayer.
00:35:55 Ever since our baptism,
00:35:58 we as a family were fully engaged in Christian activities.
00:36:07 It was a busy yet fulfilling life.
00:36:14 I really loved preaching.
00:36:17 I enjoyed conducting Bible studies
00:36:20 and talking to others about the truth.
00:36:24 At one point, I was the only elder in the congregation.
00:36:29 I tried to make shepherding calls on everyone,
00:36:33 but I just did not have the time,
00:36:37 so I developed the habit
00:36:39 of praying for them many times during the day.
00:36:44 I would mention them individually by name.
00:36:47 I wanted Jehovah to protect
00:36:51 his precious sheep from Satan’s attacks.
00:36:59 Some time later,
00:37:01 my wife fell seriously ill.
00:37:05 After being hospitalized for a while,
00:37:08 I decided to take care of her at home.
00:37:12 I needed to step down from pioneering.
00:37:16 Kuniko served Jehovah faithfully until her death.
00:37:23 After a while, I became sick as well.
00:37:27 One morning, I felt especially bad and couldn’t move.
00:37:44 Fortunately, I managed to survive somehow,
00:37:48 but now I’m confined to a wheelchair.
00:37:52 I can no longer walk in the ministry as I used to
00:37:55 or handle congregation responsibilities.
00:38:00 I need help to change clothes and take a shower.
00:38:05 I get really depressed
00:38:07 when I think of the times when I was able to move around freely.
00:38:19 But Jehovah never forgets the love we’ve shown.
00:38:24 He is pleased to see us doing our very best
00:38:28 in whatever circumstances we are in.
00:38:33 I am limited in what I can do, but I can still pray.
00:38:39 In my prayers, I mention
00:38:42 the names of those in my congregation
00:38:44 and my personal friends.
00:38:46 I make a list of their names so as not to forget anyone.
00:38:52 Through jw.org®,
00:38:54 I read about the brothers in Russia being arrested
00:38:57 and the situation in Eritrea,
00:39:00 so I make sure to include them in my prayers.
00:39:05 The Governing Body and its helpers and those in full-time service
00:39:09 also need Jehovah’s support.
00:39:14 Jehovah is without a doubt the Hearer of prayer.
00:39:19 When I was the only elder in the congregation
00:39:23 and when my wife was sick in bed,
00:39:26 he listened to my prayers.
00:39:32 So I am confident that the prayers that I offer
00:39:35 will help my fellow friends.
00:39:41 Now I do what I can in service,
00:39:45 such as witnessing to caregivers.
00:39:47 When I meet those whom I have not seen for a long time
00:39:51 and tell them “I’ve been praying for you,”
00:39:54 they often tell me how it has really helped them.
00:39:57 Some even shed tears out of gratitude.
00:40:00 I feel happy too.
00:40:05 Although I’m getting physically weaker every day,
00:40:08 my prayers are becoming
00:40:10 more and more meaningful.
00:40:13 I want to cherish this precious gift of prayer
00:40:17 that Jehovah has given us
00:40:20 as long as I live.
00:40:31 Takeshi could easily dwell on all the things he can’t do.
00:40:35 Instead, he focuses on his brothers and sisters.
00:40:39 He prays for them every day.
00:40:42 And they’re not generic prayers.
00:40:45 He makes lists so that he doesn’t miss anyone,
00:40:48 and he goes to jw.org®
00:40:51 to learn about our brothers in need.
00:40:54 Why does he make this effort?
00:40:56 Takeshi said,
00:40:58 “I know [that] Jehovah is the Hearer of prayer.”
00:41:04 Whether we’re dealing with the effects of old age and illness
00:41:09 or with persecution and unrest,
00:41:11 we face a common enemy, Satan the Devil.
00:41:16 How does Jehovah help us win this spiritual warfare?
00:41:21 Brother Harold Corkern explains how in this Bethel morning worship.
00:41:27 Our text highlights the fact
00:41:29 that we are at war with Satan.
00:41:32 War is defined
00:41:34 as “a state of hostility
00:41:37 “accompanied by actions
00:41:39 “to conquer or to destroy
00:41:41 those viewed as the enemy.”
00:41:44 And the context of our text today at 1 Peter 5:8
00:41:48 talks about the type of enemy we have
00:41:51 —“a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone.”
00:41:56 And that expression “roaring” denotes
00:41:58 “the howl of a beast in fierce hunger.”
00:42:03 So we have a real enemy.
00:42:06 And that’s why the words of Jesus
00:42:08 are so meaningful for us when he gave the model prayer.
00:42:13 He said at Matthew 6:13:
00:42:15 “Do not bring us into temptation,
00:42:18 “but deliver [or, the footnote, “rescue”] us
00:42:22 from the wicked one.”
00:42:24 Now, other Bible translations,
00:42:26 like the King James Version or the Revised Standard Version,
00:42:30 use an expression like, “Deliver us from evil.”
00:42:35 Or the Contemporary English Version says:
00:42:37 “Protect us from evil.”
00:42:40 But that doesn’t convey the real fierceness of a real enemy, does it?
00:42:45 It’s more generic.
00:42:46 And so Jesus knew the Devil was real,
00:42:50 and he is a real enemy.
00:42:53 And the Devil has no remorse.
00:42:55 He’s fierce. He has no pity.
00:42:58 He will take a person and, with his traps and lures,
00:43:02 get him to do something bad in Jehovah’s eyes,
00:43:05 and then the person is overcome with guilt.
00:43:07 And then, like a fierce enemy,
00:43:09 the Devil comes along and stomps on him
00:43:11 and makes him feel worse because he caved in and sinned.
00:43:16 So how do we deal with such a powerful enemy?
00:43:21 Well, in war, there are soldiers.
00:43:24 So let’s use an expression
00:43:27 that the apostle Paul used to describe our situation.
00:43:30 Let’s open our Bibles, please, to the book of 2 Timothy.
00:43:34 In 2 Timothy chapter 2, we’re going to read verses 3 and 4
00:43:38 and talk for a few moments about our being soldiers.
00:43:43 Second Timothy 2:3:
00:43:45 “As a fine soldier of Christ Jesus,
00:43:48 “take your part in suffering adversity.
00:43:51 “No man serving as a soldier
00:43:53 “involves himself in the commercial businesses of life,
00:43:56 in order to gain the approval of the one who enrolled him as a soldier.”
00:44:02 We become soldiers of Christ
00:44:05 when we accept Jehovah’s arrangements
00:44:07 for salvation through Christ Jesus
00:44:09 and we dedicate our lives to him unreservedly
00:44:14 for our entire life.
00:44:16 We become a soldier and, like a soldier,
00:44:20 we know that it’s not going to be easy.
00:44:23 There are going to be hardships and trials.
00:44:26 And yet, a fine soldier
00:44:28 —his main objective is to stay loyal to his commanding officers
00:44:31 and to those who are giving instructions.
00:44:34 And likewise we know it’s not going to be easy.
00:44:37 It’s not easy, but we have chosen to become a soldier of Christ.
00:44:43 Now, a soldier, like this loyal one being described,
00:44:47 is far different from a mercenary.
00:44:49 A mercenary is one who hires himself out to fight,
00:44:53 but he may not have any devotion, really, to the cause.
00:44:56 He’s a hired man, and he’s doing it for the reward only
00:45:00 or for something else that he may gain.
00:45:03 But we’re not mercenaries.
00:45:05 We’re those with godly devotion, wholly devoted to Jehovah
00:45:09 and loyal to Christ so that we can be fine soldiers,
00:45:13 loyal and true.
00:45:16 Now, another aspect of soldiers is that they are identified
00:45:20 by their distinctive uniforms
00:45:23 or their particular fighting equipment.
00:45:26 And that way, it helps to identify
00:45:28 who’s the friend and who’s the foe in the middle of the battle.
00:45:32 Their appearance makes that possible.
00:45:36 Well, today, there is a clear difference, isn’t there,
00:45:40 between the soldiers of Satan
00:45:43 and the soldiers of Christ?
00:45:46 There’s great enmity, but there’s a sharp contrast
00:45:50 in appearance and attitude and disposition
00:45:53 and motivation and conduct.
00:45:57 And that’s why when we think about that,
00:45:59 we think about the contrast between “the works of the flesh”
00:46:03 described in Galatians chapter 5
00:46:05 and those who have the fruitage of God’s spirit.
00:46:08 There is such a strong distinction
00:46:11 between “one serving God and one not serving him.”
00:46:15 And that’s why, too,
00:46:17 we think about the type of armor we bear.
00:46:21 Ephesians chapter 6 says:
00:46:24 “Put on the complete suit of armor from God.”
00:46:28 So our very armor is from God.
00:46:30 We do not use the tactics and the methods of the Devil,
00:46:34 but we are clearly identified as a soldier of Christ.
00:46:39 And there can be no gray area here;
00:46:42 we’re either on one side or the other, correct?
00:46:44 For example, suppose that you’re a soldier,
00:46:47 and you’re on guard duty, and it’s evening,
00:46:51 and you see someone approaching, and you cry out:
00:46:54 “Halt! Who goes there?
00:46:56 Friend or foe?”
00:46:58 and you hear back, “I’m both.”
00:47:02 There’s an enemy.
00:47:05 You can’t be on both sides.
00:47:07 Now, what is another aspect of being a good soldier in this fight?
00:47:11 Well, let’s open our Bibles to Philippians chapter 1,
00:47:15 Philippians chapter 1, and we get to the concept of unity
00:47:20 and working closely together in peace,
00:47:23 because an army needs to be unified.
00:47:27 Philippians 1:27 says:
00:47:30 “Only behave in a manner worthy of the good news about the Christ,
00:47:34 “so that whether I come and see you or I am absent,
00:47:38 “I may hear about you and learn
00:47:41 “that you are standing firm in one spirit,
00:47:44 “with one soul [and the footnote, or “with one accord”],
00:47:50 “striving side by side for the faith of the good news,
00:47:54 “and in no way being frightened by your opponents.
00:47:58 “This very thing is a proof of destruction for them,
00:48:01 but of salvation for you; and this is from God.”
00:48:06 Well, we have this matter of unity —don’t we?—
00:48:09 shoulder to shoulder, side by side.
00:48:12 And yet, one of the tactics of the Devil
00:48:15 is to get us divided and disjointed
00:48:20 and fighting among ourselves.
00:48:24 To turn the enemy on itself is a very effective war strategy.
00:48:28 Even Jehovah used that —remember?—
00:48:30 against his enemies.
00:48:31 At 2 Chronicles 20:20-23,
00:48:36 there was the attack “of Ammon, Moab,
00:48:39 and the mountainous region of Seir” against Judah.
00:48:41 What did Jehovah do?
00:48:43 He confused them.
00:48:44 They struck down each other; they helped destroy one another.
00:48:50 And the Devil, in a very sinister way, uses that same approach.
00:48:54 How?
00:48:56 Well, if he can get us to not get along with each other
00:48:59 and turn on one another,
00:49:02 then that’s a very effective tactic.
00:49:05 In fact, we remember the expression
00:49:08 at Ephesians 4:26, 27 about getting along:
00:49:13 “Be wrathful, but do not sin;
00:49:16 “do not let the sun set while you are still angry;
00:49:19 do not give the Devil an opportunity.”
00:49:22 So when he sees discord and disunity,
00:49:26 he can really amplify that.
00:49:28 So we have to remember who our real enemies are.
00:49:32 Now, our brothers may disappoint us; they may frustrate us;
00:49:36 they may hurt us at times because of imperfections.
00:49:39 But they’re not the enemy.
00:49:41 The Devil and his hordes —they are the enemies.
00:49:45 So we don’t get to fighting with the wrong person.
00:49:48 We keep in mind that our brothers are with us.
00:49:52 And, in this connection
00:49:54 (we just read it in that scripture in Philippians),
00:49:56 it talked about not being afraid.
00:49:59 And do you remember something about being afraid
00:50:02 when it related to a soldier in Israel’s army?
00:50:06 Deuteronomy 20:8 says:
00:50:09 “The officers should also ask the people,
00:50:12 “‘Who is fearful and fainthearted?
00:50:14 “‘He should return to his house,
00:50:16 so that he may not cause his brothers to lose heart as he has.’”
00:50:21 Well, we do have an effect on each other.
00:50:24 Can you imagine being in Joshua’s army,
00:50:27 getting ready to battle, and to your left is a soldier?
00:50:30 And as you’re about ready to leave for battle,
00:50:32 he says to you: “We’re going to die.
00:50:35 “We’re not going to come back.
00:50:37 Say goodbye to your family. This is it.”
00:50:39 Or he may say,
00:50:41 “I’m not sure Joshua has Jehovah’s backing like Moses did.”
00:50:45 All of that would be terrible.
00:50:47 And so anyone in that category was to go home
00:50:50 because they would have an effect on others.
00:50:52 How grateful, though, we are that we have positive, courageous brothers
00:50:56 who trust in Jehovah,
00:50:58 examples in the Bible, and also modern-day examples,
00:51:02 just like our brothers in Russia!
00:51:05 Well, as soldiers in this battle, we’re ‘not ignorant of Satan’s designs.’
00:51:10 And yet, he studies us very carefully, and he knows our weaknesses.
00:51:15 The September 1, 1988, Watchtower had an article
00:51:19 “Stand Firm Against Satan’s Machinations,”
00:51:23 and in that, it said the Devil knows what our weaknesses are.
00:51:27 But do we?
00:51:29 If we don’t identify them and then correct them,
00:51:32 we will be defenseless at times.
00:51:34 But it takes honesty and humility
00:51:37 and an earnest desire to address that which is bad.
00:51:40 Otherwise, we become a victim.
00:51:43 So we need to ask: ‘What are my weaknesses?
00:51:47 Do I identify them? Do I work on them?’
00:51:50 And yet, with Jehovah’s help, we can come off victorious in this battle.
00:51:54 First Peter 5:10 says that ‘Jehovah will finish our training;
00:51:58 he will make us firm; he will make us strong.’
00:52:00 So with Jehovah’s help, we can succeed.
00:52:04 So may we all continue as fine soldiers of Christ,
00:52:07 trusting in Jehovah,
00:52:09 and win the battle against the enemy—the Devil.
00:52:12 As Brother Corkern mentioned, Satan has no pity.
00:52:17 He’ll try everything to lure us to sin against Jehovah.
00:52:24 Last year, the revised New World Translation in Spanish was released.
00:52:29 This was exciting news for millions of our brothers and sisters.
00:52:34 Since Spanish is the most widely spoken language among Jehovah’s Witnesses,
00:52:39 this took special effort.
00:52:42 Enjoy the following report.
00:52:48 Soon after the Governing Body released
00:52:50 the revised English edition of the New World Translation,
00:52:54 they decided to revise the Spanish edition.
00:52:58 They wanted it to be a modern, understandable translation
00:53:02 for the entire Spanish-speaking world.
00:53:06 Spanish is the mother tongue of around 480 million people.
00:53:11 And it is also the most widely spoken language
00:53:13 among Jehovah’s Witnesses.
00:53:16 This translation project would be a unique challenge.
00:53:20 It eventually took four and a half years to complete.
00:53:23 Why did it take so long?
00:53:26 Apart from the translation process itself,
00:53:28 the work was complicated
00:53:31 by the wide geographic range
00:53:33 of these Hispanic countries
00:53:35 and their different cultures.
00:53:37 This diversity meant that in different countries
00:53:40 the same Spanish word could mean different things.
00:53:44 In other cases, the word may be unknown
00:53:48 in certain areas or even sound objectionable to some.
00:53:51 To overcome these difficulties,
00:53:53 the translators used 100 outside readers
00:53:57 from many different countries
00:53:59 to review the translated text progressively.
00:54:03 These readers were of different ages, cultures, and backgrounds.
00:54:08 These outside readers regularly received chapters of the Bible electronically,
00:54:11 and then they introduced their suggested revisions.
00:54:17 The translation teams took note of all their recommendations,
00:54:20 and in some cases, they also sent them specific inquiries.
00:54:25 Every verse was checked by 130 different people.
00:54:30 Naturally, all of this took time.
00:54:34 The work was finished in the spring of 2019.
00:54:38 But then another challenge arose.
00:54:41 We needed to print millions of Bibles
00:54:44 to satisfy the demand of the Spanish-speaking field.
00:54:47 This was a huge job
00:54:49 for our printing presses in the United States and Japan.
00:54:52 Despite working night and day,
00:54:54 the task would take a long time.
00:54:56 And naturally, everyone wanted to have the Bible right away.
00:55:01 Right at the Madrid international convention,
00:55:04 the Governing Body decided to release
00:55:06 the Bible in digital format.
00:55:08 This was several months before all the Bibles could be printed.
00:55:11 The highlight of the Friday morning convention program
00:55:14 was when Brother Lösch presented the newly revised Bible.
00:55:17 But there was another surprise!
00:55:19 Since at the convention
00:55:21 most brothers and sisters had their phones and tablets with them,
00:55:24 they were able to immediately download the revised Bible.
00:55:28 How was that possible?
00:55:32 Over 500 portable Wi-Fi devices were distributed
00:55:35 among each of the 11 convention venues
00:55:37 in Spain that were tied in with the Madrid stadium.
00:55:41 During the lunch break on Friday,
00:55:44 practically everyone in attendance could download
00:55:46 the revised Spanish edition of the New World Translation.
00:55:50 More than 1,200 volunteers were trained
00:55:53 to give technical support to those who needed it.
00:55:56 In this way, the brothers started to use the revised translation
00:56:00 right away during the afternoon program.
00:56:06 We laughed and cried with joy.
00:56:08 We knew it was a gift from Jehovah,
00:56:10 which he was giving us at that moment.
00:56:12 And also, we felt so happy because we’d been waiting a long time for it.
00:56:17 What I like most about this revision
00:56:19 is that it’s very easy to understand.
00:56:21 Sometimes I think,
00:56:23 ‘But was this what we had before?’
00:56:25 It seems that it reaches my heart much quicker.
00:56:28 As you use it,
00:56:30 you realize that many scriptures
00:56:31 have been adjusted and that the faithful slave
00:56:35 has worked very hard to make it easier to understand.
00:56:40 Without a doubt, this revised edition of the New World Translation
00:56:44 is a wonderful gift for all our Spanish-speaking brothers.
00:56:49 The Word of God has power,
00:56:51 and this will be a powerful tool
00:56:54 to help many people get to know Jehovah.
00:57:01 This month’s theme was
00:57:04 “Pray Continually, So That You May Not Enter Into Temptation.”
00:57:09 By trusting in prayer,
00:57:11 Narciso made major changes
00:57:13 in his life and resisted temptations
00:57:16 that tested his humility.
00:57:19 The apostle Peter’s example showed us
00:57:21 how to overcome fear so that we can show more love
00:57:25 for Jehovah and our brothers.
00:57:28 Rather than dwell on his limitations,
00:57:32 Takeshi finds joy in praying
00:57:34 for his brothers and sisters every day.
00:57:37 And the song “Forgive Freely”
00:57:40 reminds us that we can imitate Jehovah’s quality of forgiveness
00:57:45 to heal the pain of being hurt
00:57:47 by someone we love.
00:57:51 Before we conclude, let’s visit our brothers and sisters
00:57:54 in the Tierra del Fuego province of Argentina.
00:57:59 Tierra del Fuego
00:58:01 is a group of islands off the southernmost tip
00:58:04 of the South American mainland.
00:58:07 The main island rises to mountain glaciers
00:58:09 and peaks of nearly 8,000 feet,
00:58:13 or 2,400 meters.
00:58:16 Here daylight varies greatly throughout the year
00:58:20 —from about 17 hours during summer
00:58:23 to some 7 hours during winter.
00:58:26 But no matter how much sunlight there is,
00:58:29 there can be wind, ice,
00:58:31 and snow every season of the year.
00:58:35 Three congregations are in the city of Ushuaia on the main island.
00:58:40 To attend assemblies, the brothers
00:58:42 have to cross a mountain range
00:58:45 —a trip of about 125 miles, or 200 kilometers.
00:58:51 Sometimes snow and ice make the roads impassable.
00:58:55 Our brothers are out in the ministry no matter what the weather has in store.
00:58:59 In the winter, the sun doesn’t rise high enough to be seen
00:59:03 above the mountains in some parts of Ushuaia.
00:59:07 When days are short, the brothers adapt
00:59:11 and start preaching later to make the best use of sunlight.
00:59:15 The brothers have organized a campaign
00:59:18 to preach in rural communities and on remote islands,
00:59:21 such as Navarino Island, across the Beagle Channel.
00:59:26 Recently, some made a special effort to learn English
00:59:29 so that a good witness
00:59:32 can be given to the many tourists who visit.
00:59:35 There are over 300 publishers
00:59:38 and some 47 regular pioneers
00:59:41 in Ushuaia’s three congregations.
00:59:44 They’re conducting 286 Bible studies.
00:59:47 Our brothers and sisters
00:59:49 in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego,
00:59:52 send their warm love and greetings!
00:59:56 From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
01:00:00 this is JW Broadcasting.
