COMMENTS YOU WILL NOT HEAR AT THE 03-27-2011 WT STUDY (JANUARY 15, 2011, pages 22-26 (TEMPTATION/DISCOURAGEMENT)
Review comments will be in red or headed by COMMENTS
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g = Awake
jv = Proclaimers book
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EMPOWERED TO
FIGHT TEMPTATION AND
COPE WITH DISCOURAGEMENT
“You will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you.”—ACTS 1:8.
OPENING COMMENTS
STRESS, STRESS, STRESS!
How is it possible to have stress if one has holy spirit? Jws are weary because the WTS has said the end is near since 1879, 132 years. The destruction of Jerusalem only took 37 years from 33 to 70 C.E. jws have even been told the end would come in 1914, 1915, 1920, 1925, 1940’s, 1975, and 70 year generation in 1984, and 80 year generation in 1994, only to have the 1914 generation teaching ripped away in 1995.
START OF ARTICLE
1, 2. What help did Jesus promise his disciples,
and why would they need it?
JESUS knew that his disciples in their own
strength were not capable of observing all
that he had commanded. Considering the
scope of their preaching commission, the
strength of their opponents, and the frailty
of the human flesh, it was clear that they
needed superhuman power. Thus, just before
his ascension to heaven, Jesus assured
his disciples: “You will receive power when
the holy spirit arrives upon you, and you will
be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in
all Judea and Samaria and to the most distant
part of the earth.”—Acts 1:8.
COMMENTS
Witnesses of Jesus not witnesses of Jehovah in Acts 1:8.
Does the average jw realize that there is no mention of Jehovah’s witnesses in the NT?
Revelation 17:6: And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.
Revelation1:9: I John, YOUR brother and a sharer with YOU in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in company with Jesus, came to be in the isle that is called Pat′mos for speaking about God and bearing witness to Jesus.
Revelation 12:17: And the dragon grew wrathful at the woman, and went off to wage war with the remaining ones of her seed, who observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus.
Revelation 19:10: At that I fell down before his feet to worship him. But he tells me: “Be careful! Do not do that! All I am is a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who have the work of witnessing to Jesus. Worship God; for the bearing witness to Jesus is what inspires prophesying.”
2 That promise began to have its fulfillment
at Pentecost 33 C.E. when holy spirit
empowered the followers of Jesus Christ to
fill Jerusalem with their preaching. No opposition
was able to halt it. (Acts 4:20) “All
the days until the conclusion of the system
of things,” Jesus’ faithful followers, including
us, would be in urgent need of that same
God-given strength.—Matt. 28:20.
COMMENTS
Followers of Christ, not followers of Jehovah
By providence (through God)….Jesus followers were known as Christians not “Jehovah’s witnesses.”
Acts 11:26: It thus came about that for a whole year they gathered together with them in the congregation and taught quite a crowd, and it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.
3. (a) Explain the difference between holy spirit
and power. (b) What can power from Jehovah help
us to do?
3 Jesus promised his disciples that ‘they
would receive power when the holy spirit arrived
upon them.’ The terms “power” and
“spirit” are distinct in their meaning. God’s
spirit, his active force, describes energy that
is projected and exerted on people or things
to accomplish God’s will. Power, however,
can be defined as the “ability to act or produce
an effect.” It can lie dormant in someone
or something until it is needed to produce
a given result. Thus, holy spirit might
be likened to the electric current that energizes
a rechargeable battery, whereas power is
more like the latent energy that is then stored
in the battery. The power that Jehovah grants
to his servants by means of holy spirit gives
each one of us the ability to fulfill our Christian
dedication and, when necessary, to resist
negative forces that are exerted upon us.
—Read Micah 3:8; Colossians 1:29.
COMMENTS
So how does the WTS believe that jws today receive the holy spirit? Or power?
Remember that this was speaking only of anointed Christians…do they have more holy spirit than the “other sheep”? Notice the WTS weasel statements.
***w96 6/15 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***
Canwe say that God’s servants today who have the earthly hope have as much of God’s spirit as do spirit-anointed Christians?
This question is not a new one. This same matter was addressed in “Questions From Readers” in TheWatchtower of April 15, 1952. Many have become Witnesses since then, so we can consider the question and in the process review what that earlier material said.
Fundamentally, the answer is, yes, faithful brothers and sisters of the other sheep class can share equally with anointed ones in receiving God’s holy spirit .—John 10:16.
This, of course, does not mean that the spirit operates in the same way on all individuals . Think back to faithful servants in pre-Christian times, who certainly received God’s spirit. With power from the spirit, some of them slew ferocious beasts, cured the sick, even raised the dead. And they needed the spirit to write inspired books of the Bible. (Judges 13:24, 25; 14:5, 6; 1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:17-37; 5:1-14) TheWatchtower said: “Though not of the anointed class, they were filled with holy spirit.”
From another angle, consider men and women in the first century who were anointed with holy spirit, becoming spiritual sons of God with the heavenly hope. All had been anointed, but that does not mean that the spirit thereafter operated in the same way on all of them. That is clear from 1 Corinthians chapter 12. There the apostle Paul discussed gifts of the spirit. We read in verses 8, 9, and 11: “To one there is given through the spirit speech of wisdom, to another speech of knowledge according to the same spirit, to another faith by the same spirit, to another gifts of healings by that one spirit. . . . But all these operations the one and the same spirit performs, making a distribution to each one respectively just as it wills.”
Significantly, not all anointed ones back then had miraculous gifts of the spirit . In 1 Corinthians chapter 14, Paul mentioned a congregation meeting in which one had the gift of tongues, but no one present had the gift of translation. Nonetheless, at some earlier point, each one of them had experienced anointing with spirit. Would it be reasonable to say that the brother having the gift of tongues had more of the spirit than others present? No. Those other anointed ones were not disadvantaged, as if unable to understand the Bible as well as that one or unable to face trials as well. The spirit operated in a special way on the brother who could speak in tongues. Still, he and they needed to stay close to Jehovah and to “keep getting filled with spirit,” as Paul wrote.—Ephesians 5:18.
Regarding those of the remnant today, they certainly have received God’s spirit. At one point it operated on them in a special way—at the time when they were anointed and adopted as spiritual sons. Thereafter they “keep getting filled with spirit,” having its help when they seek to understand the Bible more clearly, take the lead in the preaching work, or face tests—personal or organizational.
Members of the “other sheep,” though not having had the experience of being anointed, in other respects do receive holy spirit. TheWatchtower of April 15, 1952, observed:
“The ‘other sheep’ today perform the same preaching work as the remnant, under the same trying conditions, and manifest the same faithfulness and integrity. They feed at the same spiritual table, eating the same food, absorbing the same truths. Being of the earthly class, with earthly hopes and a keen interest in earthly things, they might interest themselves more in scriptures relating to earthly conditions in the new world; whereas the anointed remnant, with heavenly hopes and strong personal interest in the things of the spirit, might study more diligently those things in God’s Word. . . . Yet the fact remains that the same truths and the same understanding are available to both classes, and it is just how the individuals apply themselves in study that determines the comprehension of heavenly and earthly things they acquire. The Lord’s spirit is available in equal portions to both classes, and knowledge and understanding are offered equally to both, with equal opportunities for absorbing it.”
4. What will be considered in this article, and why?
4 How is the power given to us by holy spirit
manifested? What kinds of actions or reactions
might be the result of its influence?
As we seek to serve God faithfully, we face numerous
obstacles caused either by Satan, by
his system of things, or by our own imperfect
flesh. It is important that we overcome such
obstacles in order to persevere as Christians,
share regularly in the ministry, and maintain
a good relationship with Jehovah. Let us consider how holy
spirit helps us to fight temptation
and cope with tiredness and discouragement.
COMMENTS
WTS trinity of bad:
Satan
His system
Our imperfections
Good relationship with Jesus?????
Empowered to Fight Temptation
5. How can prayer empower us?
5 Jesus taught his followers to pray: “Do
not bring us into temptation, but deliver us
from the wicked one.” (Matt. 6:13) Jehovah
will not abandon his faithful servants who
make this request. On another occasion, Jesus
said that “the Father in heaven [will]
give holy spirit to those asking him.” (Luke
11:13) How reassuring that Jehovah promises
to grant us this force for righteousness!
This, of course, does not mean that Jehovah
will prevent us from being tempted. (1 Cor.
10:13) But when we face temptation, that is
a time to pray even more intensely.—Matt.
26:42.
COMMENTS
His faithful servants—only jws
*** w96 2/15 p. 8 par. 1 ***Yet, as true Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses have joy.
6. Upon what did Jesus base his answers to Satan’s
temptations?
6 In answer to the Devil’s temptations, Jesus
quoted scriptures. God’s Word was clearly
in Jesus’ mind when he responded: “It is
written. . . Again it is written. . . Go away, Satan!
For it is written, ‘It is Jehovah your God
You must worship, and it is to him alone you
must render sacred service.’ ” Love for Jehovah
and for his Word impelled Jesus to reject
the allurements that the Tempter put before
him. (Matt. 4:1-10) After Jesus repeatedly resisted
temptation, Satan left him.
COMMENTS
Does Satan leave us?
7. How does the Bible help us to resist temptation?
7 Since Jesus relied on the Scriptures to
resist the Devil’s temptations, how much
more so should we! Indeed, our ability to resist
the Devil and his agents begins with a
determination to be acquainted with God’s
standards and to adhere to them fully. Many
people have been moved to live by Bible
standards as they studied the Scriptures and
came to appreciate God’s wisdom and righteousness.
Indeed, “the word of God” exerts
a power that is capable of discerning
“thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
(Heb. 4:12) The more one reads and ponders
over the Scriptures, the more one can
gain ‘insight into Jehovah’s trueness.’ (Dan.
9:13) That being so, we do well to meditate
on scriptures that deal with our specific
weaknesses.
COMMENTS
Jesus relied on the scriptures, not WTS publications
Learn God’s standards, Bible standards, studied the scriptures---not WTS publications
Reads, ponders scriptures…meditate scriptures not WTS publications
8. Through what means can we obtain holy spirit?
8 In addition to knowing the Scriptures,
Jesus could resist temptation because he was
“full of holy spirit.” (Luke 4:1) In order to
have similar strength and ability, we need to
draw close to Jehovah by taking full advantage
of all the provisions he has made to fill
us with his spirit. (Jas. 4:7, 8) Among these
are Bible study, prayer, and association with
fellow believers. Many have also appreciated
the benefit of maintaining a full schedule of
Christian activities, which helps to keep
the mind focused on upbuilding spiritual
thoughts.
COMMENTS
Knowing the Scriptures
“full advantage of all the provisions” WTS publications?
Association with fellow believers—ONLY JWS
9, 10. (a) What temptations are common in your
area? (b) How can meditation and prayer empower
you to fight temptation even when you feel tired?
9 What enticements to err do you have to
resist? Have you ever been tempted to flirt
with someone who is not your marriage
mate? If you are not married, have you ever
had the urge to accept a date with an unbeliever?
When watching television or using
the Internet, Christians may suddenly
be tempted to view something unclean. Has
that happened to you, and if so, how did
you react? It would be wise to meditate on
how one false step could lead to another
and then to serious wrongdoing. (Jas. 1:
14, 15) Think about the pain that an unfaithful
act would bring to Jehovah, to
the congregation, and to your family. A
clean conscience, on the other hand, results
from maintaining loyalty to divine principles.
(Read Psalm 119:37; Proverbs 22:3.)
Whenever you face such tests, be determined
To pray for strength to resist them.
COMMENTS
Enticements
Flirt with someone not marriage mate
Date with unbeliever—nonjw (Deut. 21: 10-18)
Watching TV
Using internet
(accidentally???)
10 There is something else to remember
about the Devil’s temptations. Satan approached
Jesus after He had been fasting for
40 days in the wilderness. No doubt the
Devil thought that this was a particularly
“convenient time” to test Jesus’ integrity.
(Luke 4:13) Satan looks for convenient
times to test our integrity too. It is vital,
therefore, that we keep ourselves spiritually
strong. Satan often attacks when he perceives
that his target is at its weakest point.
So whenever we feel tired or discouraged,
we should be more determined than ever to
petition Jehovah for his protective help and
holy spirit.—2 Cor.12:8-10.
COMMENTS
Satan approached when physically weak
“”””convenient”””
Weakest point….tired, discouraged
Empowered to Cope With
Tiredness and Discouragement
11, 12. (a) Why do many feel discouraged today?
(b)What can empower us to resist discouragement?
11 As imperfect humans, we feel discouraged
From time to time. That may particularly
be true today because the period in which
we live is especially stressful. We are passing
through perhaps the most difficult times
that mankind as a whole has yet experienced.
(2 Tim. 3:1-5) As Armageddon approaches,
economic, emotional, and other
pressures are mounting. It should not come
as a surprise, then, that some find it increasingly
hard to fulfill their responsibility to
look after and provide for their families.
They feel tired, burdened down, worn-out,
and even burned-out. If that is true in your
case, how can you cope with the pressure?
COMMENTS
Feel discouraged…stressful time…most difficult times
Economic, emotional, pressure
Hard to provide for family
Burdened, worn out, burned out
12 Remember, Jesus assured his disciples
that he would give them a helper—God’s
holy spirit. (Read John 14:16,17.) This is the
most powerful force in the universe. With it,
Jehovah can “more than superabundantly”
provide the strength that we need to endure
any trial. (Eph. 3:20) By relying on it, said
the apostle Paul, we receive “power beyond
what is normal,” even though we are
“pressed in every way.” (2 Cor. 4:7, 8) Jehovah
does not promise to remove stress, but
he does assure us that by means of his spirit,
he will give us the strength to deal with it.
—Phil. 4:13.
COMMENTS
Helper—HS
Does not promised to remove stress
How does one know they have HS?
13. (a) How has one young person been empowered
to cope with a difficult situation? (b) Do you
know of similar examples?
13 Consider the example of Stephanie, a
19-year-old regular pioneer. At age 12, she
suffered a stroke and was diagnosed with a
brain tumor. Since then, she has undergone
surgery twice, received radiation treatment,
and suffered two more strokes, which left
her with limited movement on her left side
Christian meetings can invigorate us spiritually
and limited vision. Stephanie has to save her
energy for the things that she considers
more important, such as Christian meetings
and field service. Yet, she perceives Jehovah’s
strengthening hand helping her to endure
in many ways. Bible-based publications
containing experiences of fellow Christians
have uplifted her when she has been downhearted.
Brothers and sisters have supported
her by sending her letters or by speaking encouragingly
to her before and after meetings.
Interested people too have shown appreciation
for what Stephanie is teaching
them by going to her home to receive their
Bible instruction. For all of this, Stephanie
feels a great debt of gratitude to Jehovah. Her
favorite scripture is Psalm 41:3, which she
believes has been fulfilled in her case.
COMMENTS
Stephanie, a 19-year-old regular pioneer. At age 12, she
suffered a stroke and was diagnosed with a
brain tumor . Since then, she has undergone
surgery twice, received radiation treatment,
and suffered two more strokes, which left
her with limited movement on her left side
and limited vision. Stephanie has to save her
energy for the things that she considers
more important , such as Christian meetings
and field service.
Bible-based publications containing experiences of fellow Christians
have uplifted her.
Brothers and sisters have supported her by sending her letters or by speaking encouragingly to her before and after meetings.
14. What must we avoid when we are discouraged,
and why?
14 When we are tired or under pressure,
we must never reason that the way to deal
with stress is to cut back on spiritual activities.
That is the worst thing we could possibly
do. Why? Because such activities as
personal and family Bible study, field service,
and meeting attendance are the means
by which we receive revitalizing holy spirit.
Christian activities are always refreshing.
(Read Matthew 11:28, 29.) How often
brothers and sisters arrive at meetings feeling
weary, but when the time comes to go
home, it is as if their energy has been renewed,
their spiritual batteries recharged!
COMMENTS
Tired, under pressure….not reason to cut back on spiritual activities—but what do you cut back on
Were you recharged? No one talks to you and the DO MORE theme
15. (a) Does Jehovah promise that he will make
life effortless for a Christian? Explain Scripturally.
(b) What does God promise us, leading to what
question?
15 This is not to say, of course, that the
load of Christian discipleship is weightless.
It takes effort to be a faithful Christian.
(Matt. 16:24-26; Luke 13:24) Nevertheless,
By means of holy spirit, Jehovah can give the
tired one strength. “Those who are hoping
in Jehovah will regain power,” wrote the
prophet Isaiah. “They will mount up with
wings like eagles. They will run and not
grow weary; they will walk and not tire out.”
(Isa. 40:29-31) That being the case, we would
do well to ask, What truly is at the root of
spiritual fatigue?
COMMENTS
Takes effort to be a Christian (be a jw)
Does God heal illness?
16. What can we do to eliminate possible causes of
tiredness or discouragement?
16 Jehovah’s Word urges us to “make sure
of the more important things.” (Phil. 1:
10) Likening the Christian life course to a
long-distance footrace, under inspiration
the apostle Paul recommended: “Let us also
put off every weight . . . , and let us run with
endurance the race that is set before us.”
(Heb. 12:1) His point was that we must
avoid needless pursuits, needless weights,
that will tire us out. It may be that some of
us are simply trying to squeeze too much
into already busy lives. So if you often feel
tired and under pressure, you might benefit
from reviewing how you meet the demands
of secular work, the frequency with which
you travel for pleasure, and the intensity
with which you pursue sports or other leisure
activities. Reasonableness and modesty
should move all of us to recognize our limitations
and keep unnecessary commitments
to a minimum.
COMMENTS
What are needless pursuits, weights, tire us out?
Trying to squeeze too much into busy lives
Demands of secular work?????????????
Travel for pleasure???????????
Intensity pursue SPORTS or other leisure activities
Reasonable, modesty, recognize limitations, unnecessary commitments
17. Why may some feel discouraged, but what assurance
does Jehovah provide in this regard?
17 It may also be that some among us feel
a measure of discouragement because the
end of this system of things has not come as
soon as we expected. (Prov. 13:12) Any who
feel this way, however, can draw encouragement
from the words found at Habakkuk
2:3: “The vision is yet for the appointed
time, and it keeps panting on to the end,
and it will not tell a lie. Even if it should delay,
keep in expectation of it; for it will without
fail come true. It will not be late.” We
have Jehovah’s assurance that the end of
this system of things will come right on
schedule!
COMMENTS
Some…feel discouragement because end of this system has not come as soon as we expected
It will not be late---1914, 1915, 1920, 1925, 1940’s, 1975
Right on schedule---???????
18. (a) What promises give you strength? (b) How
will the next article be of benefit to us?
18 Surely, all of Jehovah’s faithful servants
long for the day when tiredness and discouragement
will be gone, when all alive will enjoy “youthful vigor.”
(Job 33:25) Even now we can be made mighty on the
Inside through the action of holy spirit as
we participate in invigorating spiritual activities.
(2 Cor. 4:16; Eph. 3:16) Do not
let fatigue cause you to miss out on eternal
blessings. Every trial—whether caused
by temptation, tiredness, or discouragement—
will pass, if not immediately, then in
God’s new world. In the following article,
we will examine how holy spirit empowers
Christians to withstand persecution, resist
harmful peer pressure, and endure various
other adversities.
COMMENTS
Jehovah’s faithful servants==ONLY JWS
Invigorating spiritual activities---what is that?
Will pass, it not immediately, then in God’s new world—when?
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?
CLOSING COMMENTS
Next Sunday, “EMPOWERED TO OVERCOME ANY TRIAL.”
BTW, the “memorial” (the Reject Jesus Party) is on a Sunday so the meetings will not be held on that day. So Saturday will most likely be scheduled out ruining the whole weekend.
