Full transcript
0:00Our public talk today will have the following theme : Will you also share in the harvest ? And Brother Kevin Otone has been invited to deliver this talk . Brother Kevin is from the Jardim Europa Congregation , from the congregation in Laranjal Paulista . Jardim Europa Congregation of Laranjal Paulista . So
0:22let us give our attention to Brother Kevin . Many brothers have a favorite
0:43Bible character , don't they ? In general , we end up choosing them because we like some of their beautiful qualities , their attitudes , or because we identify with them . It was for this reason , perhaps thinking of this , that once some brothers were in a group with a brother known for being a good Bible
1:03student , and they asked him who his favorite Bible character was . And even though it was perhaps a break in expectation , it was interesting because his answer was that his favorite Bible character was Jesus . But despite the fact that it wasn't the answer we expected , that answer actually makes
1:24total sense , because Jesus was the greatest human who ever lived here on Earth . He was the most complete . He had all the beautiful qualities that we admire in others . He was the most intelligent , the wisest . In fact , Jesus could be the best at any of the things he set out to do , any of the activities
1:44. That is why it is so interesting to notice or stop to think about what Jesus Christ decided to dedicate his whole life , his career here on Earth , to , which was to do the most important activity of all . The greatest man , the best man of all , dedicated his life to this activity . And even though in the
2:08four books that tell the story of Jesus , we see many impressive accounts of miracles and many of the things that Jesus said and did , it is the reason they are known as gospels or good news . And it is precisely because it was to this activity of preaching this good news that Jesus always dedicated his
2:28life . He always made it clear that this was his primary work . And a glimpse of his life that clearly demonstrates this to us is what we can see together in Matthew 9:35 and 36 . Matthew 9:35 and 36 . You may leave your Bibles open to
2:49that chapter if you wish , which says : " And Jesus set out on a tour of all the cities and villages , teaching in their synagogues , preaching the good news of the Kingdom , and curing every sort of disease and every sort of infirmity . On seeing the crowds , he felt pity for
3:09them , because they were skinned and thrown about like sheep without a shepherd . " It is true that in this account , Jesus once again miraculously healed many people , but the text makes us think that Jesus truly felt pity even for those who were physically healthy . This is because he perceived
3:32that they were like sheep without a shepherd , that is , they lacked a purpose in life . They did not know what to expect from life . They were likely suffering without any prospect of improvement . So much so that instead of asking his disciples to perform many miracles , that was not Christ's request . On the contrary , it was what we can
3:55see now in Matthew 9:37 , 38 , the following verses . He then said to his disciples : " The harvest is great , but the workers are few . " " Therefore , beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest . " And when he
4:16gave this illustration , perhaps his disciples were seeing or could easily imagine something similar to what we see in this first image . As you can see , you will realize that as Jesus spoke , his disciples were likely looking at a vast field of wheat or something else
4:37that could be harvested . And they were then able to understand what Jesus meant by those words . They could perceive that it was a very large field , a very large work that needed to be done . And they also knew well that there was a deadline to carry out this harvest . Once the season ends , there
4:59was no way to turn back . For this reason , the disciples understood that the work Jesus was assigning to them was urgent . And if this request was urgent 2,000 years ago , it is easy to understand why the harvest is even more urgent today . In fact , we can state
5:20that we are very close to the end of this harvest . That is why we want to give our best in this work , in this harvest . But why ? Jesus ' illustration is so good that even today , when we go to participate in the harvest , we often say that we are going out into the
5:39field . And Jehovah's Witnesses , just like many of the brothers here , are known for this . In fact , many of you probably dedicate dozens of hours to this work every month . But why exactly do we do this ? You likely could think of several good reasons that move you
6:02to do this , but in this talk , we will focus on what is likely the main reason we do it . It is what is found in Matthew 22 : 37-39 . Let us read this text together as well . Matthew 22:37 to 39 . He said to them : " Love Jehovah your
6:29God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind . " This is the greatest and first commandment . The second , like it , is this : ' Love your neighbor as yourself . ' " Our main reason for preaching , then , is clearly love . The love we feel for
6:51Jehovah . For people , but also the love we feel for the one who taught us these two greatest commandments , which is Jesus himself speaking in these verses we just read . But what exactly does love have to do with preaching , with participating in the harvest ? We can
7:11start with the first , the most important demonstration of love when we preach , when we participate in the harvest , which is for Jehovah himself . When we preach , we are showing that we love Jehovah . This is easy to see when we stop to think about what most people believe regarding God . Is it not true
7:32that many think he has no name , that he punishes people in hell forever , that he is mysterious , incomprehensible , that he is actually the one who often causes people's suffering just to test them ? All these lies make the God we love so much seem very cruel . But since
7:55we know these are lies and we know the truth and love Jehovah , we want to protect his reputation , and preaching is the best way to do that . In fact , Jehovah appreciates this so much that in the Bible , writers were inspired at times to call this sanctifying Jehovah's name . Which is interesting ,
8:18seeing as Jehovah's name is already holy in the highest sense . So , there is nothing we can do to make it holier . So , what does that mean ? Actually , this concept is similar to what sometimes happens in some cases , you know , in some of the stories we see out there . For example , some years ago , just
8:39before the pandemic , a man who worked at a dump ended up finding a painting with a very beautiful frame , and apparently he liked the frame more than the painting itself . So he decided to take the painting home , but since he couldn't find any place where it fit exactly , it stayed lying around in his
9:01living room . After some time , his wife decided that the painting had to go , he needed to throw the painting away . But since he knew a friend who understood more about art , who appreciated it , he thought , instead of throwing it away , he would give the painting to this friend . Well , this friend was a really
9:21good friend indeed , because while examining the painting , he noticed a small inscription that was almost completely covered by the frame , which made them realize that the painting was an original work by a very famous artist . As soon as they discovered this , he gave up the idea of throwing that
9:43painting away ; in fact , it was sold for thousands of euros to a gallery , and now it is displayed in the place it always deserved , right ? With the honor and prominence it always deserved . In a similar way , Jehovah’s name has always been special , but many people do not recognize its value . That is why ,
10:05when we preach , we are like that friend , speaking of Jehovah’s qualities and the way he does things , so that his name may occupy the prominent place it deserves in the lives of the people we preach to . Therefore , we can say that preaching is a demonstration of love for Jehovah , but preaching also
10:27demonstrates love for Jehovah’s son , the most important person to Jehovah , which is Jesus . And when we talk about loving Jesus , we notice that many people say they love Jesus . Sometimes they use crucifixes to demonstrate this . There are pictures , t-shirts , religious symbols , and they think this
10:48is a demonstration of love for Christ . But is that really what Jesus expects from people who love him ? When you want to give a gift to someone , it is often difficult to know exactly what that person would like as a gift . But in Jesus ’ case , it is easier , because he
11:08clearly stated what he expected from those who loved him . And that is what we can read together now in Matthew 28:19 and 20 . Go , therefore , and make disciples of people of all the nations ,
11:30baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit , teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you . And know that I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things . Jesus never asked for any of the things people do , thinking they are
11:52pleasing him . But just today , this is the second text we have read about the same thing , with the same request from Jesus Christ , which is to participate in the harvest . Therefore , since we love Christ , we want to obey him . And obeying him means going and making disciples , which we can also translate
12:12as preaching . Clearly , preaching is a demonstration of love for Jesus . But why do we also say that preaching demonstrates love for people ? This is the third most important reason we have for preaching . The following image might help us think about why this is related . In this image , I think we can
12:37see what Jesus Christ was possibly referring to when he spoke about people being lost like sheep without a shepherd . You can see that this woman , the resident inside the house , is quite desolate , and we can't know exactly what is troubling her so much . But what
12:57we are sure of is that this couple , our two fellow believers , are sharing the promise , the hope that will help her truly have a purpose in her life and think of something good for the future . And , in the same way , we today can have this same privilege of feeling how
13:18Bible truths help us and comfort us when , for example , we go through an illness , or how they help us deal with the injustices of the world , strengthen us in daily challenges , and especially , comfort us when we feel the pain of losing someone we love dearly . We
13:41benefit greatly from these truths , and that is why we don't want to keep them only to ourselves . And to do this , to be able to share with other people , we need to do what the text of Romans instructs us to do . Romans 10:13 and 14 . Romans 10:13 and 14 says : " For
14:07everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved . " But how will they call on him if they have not put faith in him ? And how will they put faith in him about whom they have not heard ? And how will they hear if there is no one to preach ? It seems that
14:23instead of an answer , this text gives us more questions . But they are rhetorical questions , because the answer is very simple . If we want someone to be saved , we want to help people to be saved . As verse 13 says , we need to start with the last question of verse 14 and be the people who
14:44preach to them . Preaching is a great demonstration of love , because we set aside our own interests to go out and share the truth , even when some people don't want to listen to us ; but instead of giving up , we keep showing patience toward them . Don't you agree that this
15:06is a great demonstration of love for people as well ? But since we love Jehovah , we love Jesus , and we love people , why is it not always easy for us to preach ? Well , that is because many times our own insecurities and fears can be an obstacle to our
15:28participating in the preaching work . For example , if we are someone who is starting in this harvest , what about the fear of what our friends , neighbors , or family members will think of us ? Or perhaps the fear , the insecurity of thinking we don't know enough to participate in the harvest and teach
15:49others . These things can hinder us or hinder those we are teaching the truth . And even if we are more experienced preachers and handle those aspects well , perhaps discouragement from an apathetic territory or more direct persecution , right ? Moving beyond what
16:11we think , to something more concrete , like persecution from family members or even a government , can be an obstacle to our participating in this harvest . So , what can we do to overcome this obstacle ? It is a scripture we have already read , but Jesus already gave us a hint of what we can do . And it is in
16:33Matthew 28:20 . Matthew 28:20 It is a promise from Jesus that helps us get past this obstacle , and it says : " Teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you . And look ! I am with you all the days until the
16:53conclusion of the system of things . " Jesus , here , was helping us deal with probably the greatest challenge we have in preaching , which is the fear of man . This can be something perhaps more imaginary , more internal , but it can also be something concrete . Jesus himself said that we could be like
17:15sheep in the midst of wolves . And that is exactly how we sometimes feel when we are in the ministry , perhaps facing direct opposition from someone in our territory . But what Jesus was telling us here is that we would not be alone . So we could count on his help and overcome this fear by knowing that with
17:37him and Jehovah , we will always be the majority . This guarantee is clear . But how can we know that Jesus is keeping his promise ? And clearly , all the brothers here , if not the majority , are likely already proof that Jesus is fulfilling this promise to be with us
17:58every day , especially when we do this work . But a story that I would like to share with the brothers is something that happened a few decades ago in a country in Africa . And it was interesting because , at first , the government of that country tried to forbid our brothers from doing their work , hindering them through bans and
18:20violence . They tried to imprison many of them , but our courageous brothers remembered Jesus ' promise and continued giving their best to participate in the harvest . And when they realized this , the authorities then tried to change their strategy . They now wanted the
18:40population itself to turn against our brothers . So they had an idea on a very popular radio program in that country , which generally aired in at most three languages spoken in that region , to decide to make an announcement and spread many lies about Jehovah's Witnesses . The catch was that they
19:02decided to do this to make sure everyone would hear this message , instead of those three usual languages , in almost all of the 60 native languages of that country . And one can imagine how the brothers might have felt the next morning when they were planning to go out and participate in
19:22this harvest . They could have had reasons to feel afraid , but our courageous brothers trusted in that promise and went to preach . And to their surprise , or perhaps not so much of a surprise , Jesus was fulfilling that promise . And what happened was that , in fact , many of those people heard about Jehovah's Witnesses for the
19:43first time in their lives in their own native language . This made them more curious to know who Jehovah's Witnesses were and made many people receptive to the message , the message that our brothers were preaching . A great defeat for the enemies of this harvest . Jesus
20:05continues to keep that promise to this very day . This is what we also see in many other modern-day experiences , such as our brothers in Russia , Eritrea , and other countries where they are not free to participate in this harvest . But with the faith and courage they also know they can receive by asking Jehovah
20:26directly for these things , they continue to zealously participate in the harvest . And even if we are not facing the same challenge , these same things can help us face our personal challenges in participating in the harvest . This is because another challenge , another common obstacle , is
20:47thinking we don't know enough or feeling insecure about how to talk about the good news . And this is something that can affect new ones , or especially new ones , but even brothers who are more experienced in participating in this special work sometimes feel this way . Many of us ,
21:09for example , divide this work with another very important task , which is our work at Bethel , perhaps . This can make us sometimes feel a little rusty when talking to people . This ends up being an obstacle . But then , what can be done to overcome the fear of thinking we don't know enough or that
21:31we aren't prepared enough ? A very obvious tip . Is to prepare well for when we go out in the ministry . And we can do this both by thinking about what touched our hearts when we learned the truth , but also by paying close attention to the demonstrations we see here during the midweek meeting . In it ,
21:54our brothers and sisters usually prepare by thinking specifically about the challenges in our territory . That is why those conversations and lines of reasoning can be exactly what will help us have good conversations . in the ministry . But what if we think we don't know enough ? We can remember that we will never know everything about the
22:16Bible . In fact , this was advice that an experienced brother gave many years ago to a sister who was hesitant to share in the field service . And when we realize this , that even the brothers who are leading this harvest , the Governing Body , don't know everything , yet they still do their best , it
22:36reminds us that we can do the same thing too . And in truth , regardless of how much of the truth you already know , it is likely already much more than most people in your territory . Not to mention that we are looking for those who are deserving . So , even if you end up facing a question you don't know how
22:58to answer at that moment , the people , the deserving ones , the person who really wants to know the answer , will wait for you to come back with the answer to that question . So , it is good to set aside time to prepare , of course , but also to pay close attention to
23:18the demonstrations by our brothers and remember that we are not alone in the territory , especially because we can count on our field service partner , our brothers , and friends who are there to help us too . And if you are still just starting in the harvest , another way to begin is what many brothers have done ,
23:38which is even outside of the field service , to share the truth with colleagues , friends , and relatives . Many people started participating this way . and other friends you can count on and to remember that you are not alone , are perhaps the person you thought of when we started talking about favorite Bible characters . Many of them , just
24:01like Elijah , who was afraid when he was threatened , David , who was persecuted by members of his own family , or Jeremiah , who even as an experienced prophet got discouraged when he thought the people in his territory were not interested in the message . They all went through many different challenges , perhaps similar to or even greater than
24:22ours . But the result they had , regardless of whatever obstacle they faced , was the same , that Jehovah never let any of them down . And the same is true for us . We can also count on that help . Thus , Jesus taught his followers to pray for more workers in the harvest
24:44. And you are an answer to that prayer every time you go out to preach . So , we do not want to allow challenges to take this privilege away from us . Jehovah and Jesus trust us so much that we will give our best in this harvest , that Christ himself , even having only 3 years to preach , knew his followers
25:05would value it . And that is why he made the prophecy that is in Matthew 24:14 . which says : " And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the
25:26inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations , and then the end will come . " We too can be part of this prophecy by giving our best in the harvest . As we see these and so many other prophecies being fulfilled , it becomes clearer that the end of this work is very near . Therefore , now is the best
25:48time to give our best . And preaching is important for us too , because it helps to keep us , to always remind us of the promises we are waiting to see fulfilled . That is why the Bible says that besides saving the people who listen to us , preaching helps to save ourselves . And even if preaching may
26:10not have been Jehovah’s original plan , perhaps when he created humans , it has everything to do with Jehovah’s main quality and with the main quality he placed in humans , which is love , as we see preaching , demonstrating love to Jehovah , to Jesus , and to people . So ,
26:30we are sure that we have everything we need to succeed in this task . To Jehovah and Jesus , this harvest is very important , so it is very important to us too . And nothing makes them prouder than knowing we will answer yes to the question that is the theme of this talk
26:51, which is : will you also participate in this harvest ? Very well . We want to thank Jehovah first for instructing us
27:12through this public talk and also thank brother Kevin for the clear and loving way the brother presented the material . We were undoubtedly encouraged to continue participating in the harvest zealously , to continue in the preaching work . Thank you very much , brother Kevin . Now we will continue to be built
27:37up by Jehovah through the Watchtower study . We would like to invite brother Pedro Catardo , who will conduct the study . >> What a beautiful song . It was written as if Jehovah were speaking to us and it reflects very well the words of
27:59Jesus in Matthew 10:28 . Jehovah and Jesus are on our side . But today's article will show that the great enemy of Jehovah and of us , the Devil , tries to plant doubts in our minds . Will
28:21Jehovah and Jesus really protect you ? Circumstances may arise in which perhaps they will not protect you . Will Jesus really protect you in every situation ? Will Jehovah protect you ? So , that is the devil’s tactic : to
28:44plant doubts in our minds . It is the article’s theme . Do not be deceived by Satan . That is a lie . Keep trusting in Jehovah and Jesus . Uh , the base text is James 4 : 7 . This text clearly identifies the great liar and our great
29:05enemy , who is the devil . Oppose the devil and he will flee from you . We do not want to fall for the devil’s talk . Brother Aiton is our reader today . So let's begin with the reading of the first paragraph . From the moment we
29:32decide to serve Jehovah , Satan and his demons become our enemies . They never tire of trying to make us stop serving our God . But Satan knows that as long as we have Jehovah’s support , he cannot defeat us . So he tries to distance us from Jehovah so we lose that support . One of his tactics is
29:54trying to make us doubt that Jehovah and Jesus really care about us . >> What tactic does Satan use to try to make us stop serving Jehovah ? What is the tactic he uses to try to deceive us ? Brother João .
30:18>> So , as the text says , right , one of his tactics is to try to make us doubt that Jehovah and Jesus really care about us . So it is a primary tactic of Satan to do that . >> That is true . Isn't it ? Brother uh
30:39Artur , Artur here next to Messias . In 2 Corinthians 11:14 , the text cited in the paragraph says that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light . And in the past , usually for ships to locate themselves during storms , they would
31:01light fires on mountains by the sea so they could find their way . But there were also people who did this to plunder the ships . And Satan does this today . He tries to disguise himself as an angel of light and makes us doubt Jehovah and Jesus’s support . >> Very good . Brother Marinho next .
31:25>> So , Satan uses various tactics to try to distance us from Jehovah . Among those main doubts are discouragement , temptations , distractions , persecution , opposition , isolation , lies , and doubt . So , Satan tries to awaken wrong desires
31:48to lead us to do things that harm our friendship with Jehovah . >> Very good . Let’s move to paragraph two . In war , soldiers need to trust their commanders . If they lose that trust , they might stop following the
32:09orders they receive . That could cost them their lives . We are also soldiers , but in a spiritual war against wicked spirit forces . Satan knows that if we lose trust in Jehovah and Jesus , we will likely stop obeying them and thus lose their support . For this reason ,
32:30Satan does everything to weaken our trust in our God and his Son . In this study , we will see how Satan used this tactic in the past and how he continues to do so today . We will also see what we can do so as not to be deceived by him . In the next study , we will see two
32:49other tactics that Satan uses against us in our spiritual warfare . Why is it important for us to trust in Jehovah and Jesus ? Let’s go to Brother Davi in Room B , because Satan knows that if
33:12we lose trust in Jehovah and Jesus , we will likely stop obeying them and thus lose their support . So , Satan does everything to weaken our trust in our God and his Son . >> Very good , Brother Davi . That’s right . Fiama the microphone attendant has to
33:41walk a lot . >> And the paragraph provided a very good comparison . It says here that in a war , soldiers need to trust their commander , because if they lose that trust , they stop following the orders they receive . That could cost them their lives . And Satan knows that this could happen to us , right ? Our supreme commander is
34:03Jehovah . And when we stop obeying him and his Son , we also lose their support . >> Exactly . And there is also a very good explanation on the page , right ? Ah , Sister Fernanda , here in the front . It
34:26is interesting , isn't it , to remember that Satan does not directly cause all the difficulties we face , right ? But since he is behind the spirit of the world that is influencing people , even to mistreat Jehovah's people , we can say that , directly or indirectly , Satan is behind many of the challenges we
34:48face in our spiritual warfare . >> That’s true . So , let's begin to analyze the lies that Satan told about Jehovah and Jesus . Right at the beginning of human history , Satan tried to turn Adam and Eve away from Jehovah .
35:10He asked Eve : " Did God really say that you must not eat from every tree of the garden ? " Satan wanted Eve to believe that Jehovah was being too restrictive and not doing what was best for her and Adam . Unfortunately , Adam and Eve took Satan's side . They turned their backs on Jehovah , the One who had given them
35:31everything . >> How did Satan weaken the trust that Eve had in Jehovah ? How did Satan do that , Sandra ? >> Well , Satan is cunning , and he asked a very subtle question to Eve , right ? Did
35:51he really say that ? already casting doubts , right , that God said you must not eat from every tree in the garden . So , right there he was already raising a huge doubt in them , right ? And then , what happened ? He wanted them to believe that Jehovah was being too
36:12harsh with them , restrictive , and did not want the best for them . And what happened ? They became weak , they lost their trust in Jehovah and in the one who had given them everything best there in the garden of Eden . So , it was a huge failure that they committed .
36:33>> That is true . The devil is very subtle in casting doubts , Sister Jessica . And he hasn't changed his tactics , and he continues to exploit this tactic today . And the way he does it is by focusing , making us focus on what Jehovah forbids us to do instead of thinking about the
36:55blessings we have today . >> Very good . Let's continue looking at this in paragraph four . >> After the time of Adam and Eve , Satan continued telling lies about Jehovah . For example , Satan used Job's three false friends to make him doubt
37:16Jehovah's love and think that God did not value his faithfulness . The devil thought that if Job went through great suffering , he would stop serving God . Despite the trials caused by Satan , Job remained faithful to his friend Jehovah . What lies did Satan want Job to
37:37believe ? What was the big lie , right , Marina ? Satan , he used some of Job's false friends to make him doubt Jehovah's love and for Job to think
37:58that Jehovah did not value his faithfulness . Over in Job 22 : 1-3 , right ? He asked several questions that made Job doubt this . How can a man be useful to God ? Does the Almighty care that you are righteous ? Does he gain anything because you are upright ? But Job , instead of acting like Adam and
38:20Eve and rejecting Jehovah , he made it very clear in Job 27 : 5 that until he died , he would not renounce his integrity . >> Yeah . Job did not believe those lies . Let's go to five . >> Hundreds of years later , Satan tried to
38:41prevent people from following Jesus when he came to earth . One way the devil did this was by using religious leaders and other people who hated Jesus to spread lies about him . Many people believed these lies , accused Jesus of being a criminal , and killed him . >> Let's start by reading Matthew 11 19 .
39:06Matthew , Sister Irene , >> The Son of Man came eating and drinking , but they said : " Look ! A man gluttonous and given to drinking wine , a friend of tax collectors and sinners . " " Nevertheless , wisdom is proved
39:27righteous by its works . " That’s true . Now the question , how did Satan try to stop people from following Jesus ? What did he do to Ah , Wellington
39:48>> here said that one way he did that , right , was by using religious leaders and people who hated Jesus to spread lies about him . That’s what we see even here in Mark , Mark 14:55 , 56 . It said that they were looking , but they had no reason at all , and so they
40:02invented false testimonies , right ? So , even without a reason , they sought in some way to incriminate Jesus somehow . And they did that , didn't they ? They ended up killing him . But it shows how Satan tried in every way , even through lies , right ? Which is what we are seeing now , to incriminate Jesus in
40:17some way . >> Incredible , right ? The accusation they made against Jesus . Brother uh Kevin and even Jesus ’ qualities like his mercy , his love , they tried to make that seem like something bad . Actually ,
40:41he was a friend and and did the same things as those sinful people . >> That’s true . Let’s see more in six . After Jesus ’ death , Satan turned his attention to the work that Jesus had given his disciples to do . First , Satan
41:02tried to create doubt about Jesus ’ resurrection , by spreading the lie that Jesus ’ disciples had stolen his body . After that , Satan used persecution to try to scare Jesus ’ followers . He wanted them to think that the work they had received from Jesus was too difficult to do . Although persecution
41:24had made some Christians stop preaching , most remained firm and refused to stop talking about Jesus . They realized that who was behind these difficulties was Satan and the demons . But what about today , what tactic is Satan using to try to make us stop serving Jehovah ?
41:45In what way did Satan try to stop the preaching work of Jesus ’ first disciples ? How did he do that ? Ah , Sister Celina , uh , first it was doubt ,
42:08right ? uh , he spread , he spread the lie that Jesus hadn't even been resurrected , that the disciples had stolen Jesus ’ body , right ? And later he used persecution , right , to make it seem to the disciples that what Jesus asked of them was too difficult .
42:29>> That’s true . So , Satan was very , very subtle . Fernanda , >> and the Christians really needed a lot of courage , because in Acts there are accounts of persecution , even the death of Stephen for preaching . So they
42:49started to realize that what was really behind this was Satan and the demons . >> Yeah . Oh , brother Giordano , Acts chapter 4 , verses 18 to 20 shows that even so they continued , despite this
43:12persecution , these challenges . But they couldn't let their guard down , because 1 Peter 5 : 8 says that Satan is like a lion , lurking around just waiting for a new opportunity . >> That's true . And let's bring it closer to our time . Satan continues telling
43:35lies about Jehovah and Jesus . Today , one of Satan's main tactics is to hide the truth about Jehovah and Jesus . Satan is the father of the lie and he spreads lies about God and his son through false religion . For example , he has blinded people's minds so they
43:57don't understand who Jehovah and Jesus really are . Many religious leaders teach that the Father and the Son are the same person . Because of this , people end up worshipping the son , leaving the father aside and not even knowing the father's name . But Jehovah and Jesus do not approve of this type of worship . But many people believe
44:19these lies and so they might not want to listen to us or even oppose our message . >> How does Satan use false religion to spread lies about Jehovah and Jesus ? How does he use false religion , Sister Cecília ? Satan has blinded people's
44:47minds so that they don't understand who Jehovah and Jesus really are . Many religious leaders teach that the Father and the Son are the same person and because of that , people end up worshipping the son , leaving the father aside and not even recognizing the father's name . That's true . It's a a
45:13Maonel . >> And it's interesting how 2 Corinthians 4 : 3 and 4 says there that Satan doesn't blind people's physical eyes , but their minds , right ? Right ? People can even read the Bible , see evidence , and even hear the truth , but even so
45:35they continue to believe in lies . So the problem is not a lack of physical vision , but rather a mental and spiritual blindness , right ? Satan influences their way of thinking , preventing them from understanding and accepting the truth , right ? The light of the truth of the good news . So , it's not that they haven't seen the truth ,
45:57it's that their minds have been blinded , making it hard for them to see the real meaning of what is before them . >> That's true . Satan confuses everything , Alberto . >> We , as Jehovah’s Witnesses , we love
46:19Jesus . We are very grateful for the sacrifice he made for us , for everything he taught us , but because people don't really know the Father , they end up worshipping the Son . That is something we Jehovah’s Witnesses do not do , because it does not have Jehovah’s approval . For example , in
46:40the text of Matthew , chapter 4 , verse 10 , Jesus himself said that we must worship only Jehovah . So , >> without a doubt , they confuse the identity , Brother João . Yeah , so , an
47:02example of this , right , is when we go out in the ministry , right , in the field , you knock on people's doors , and people say that we don't believe in Jesus , right , that we only talk about Jehovah . So they perhaps don't accept our message because they think we only worship Jehovah and don't worship Jesus
47:19. Exactly . Let’s look more into this . Into this in paragraph nine . To be a person's friend , one of the first things we need to know is their name . That is why Satan tries to prevent people from knowing God’s name so that they do not develop a close
47:40friendship with Jehovah . For a long time , Satan has used false religion to make people forget God’s name . Furthermore , he has caused God’s name , which the Bible compares to a strong tower that serves as protection , to be removed from many Bible translations . The Devil is also behind the lie that
48:02Jehovah is the cause of suffering . Because of this , many people are afraid of God and cannot see him as a friend . But Satan also tries to weaken the faith of those who already serve Jehovah . How ? Uh , let’s read Jeremiah 23 , 26 and 27 . Jeremiah , uh , let’s
48:29ask the sister who is visiting us , right ? >> How long will this continue in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy lies ? They prophesy the deceits of their own hearts , with the dreams they tell one another . They want to make my
48:51people forget my name , just as their fathers forgot my name because of Baal . >> That's true . And the question : through false religion , what has Satan prevented people from learning ? What has Satan complicated and made it so people do not learn , Sofia ?
49:24>> So , Satan seeks to prevent people from having a close friendship with Jehovah by distancing people from even knowing his very name , right , the name of Jehovah . So , for this , Satan uses false religion to make people forget God's name . And we can see that throughout history , right , powerful men tried both
49:46to destroy the Bible and remove his name from the Bible , right ? And today we can see that many translations don't even have God's name . >> Yeah , it's a pity , right , that they do that . Sister Carol , >> and why did Satan choose , right , to do that ? Because knowing Jehovah's name
50:07and the meaning of that name draws us closer to our God as our friend . And , and not knowing Jehovah's name , on the contrary , pushes people away from Jehovah and makes people even more easily deceived by Satan , that he causes our suffering , that he , that Jehovah , doesn't care about us . And ,
50:28and precisely , right , that is what he has been doing , it has in fact pushed many people away , because knowing that Jehovah , he causes to become , he cares for us , he acts in our behalf , and is deeply interested in our feelings . People don't know this precisely because they don't know God's name ,
50:47Jehovah . >> Thank you , Brother Messias . >> And there is also another problem , that Proverbs 18:10 says that the name of Jehovah is a strong tower . And when a person runs to this strong tower , they are protected . So , by avoiding using
51:11God's name , trying to hide this name and pushing people away , he ends up taking away the protection that people really need to have . So , behind all this trickery , the motive is to weaken faith and trust . And the very name , devil , right , slanderer , is like
51:33someone who throws a stone and hides their hand and accuses someone else . So , he is the cause of wickedness and wants people to think it's Jehovah . That's true . Eh , Brother Elimar
51:57>> also James 4 : 8 , it says that we should draw close to Jehovah so he draws close to us , right ? So what does he do , right ? He tells the lie that Jehovah is behind all the suffering , everything bad that happens . Then people get afraid to draw close to Jehovah and
52:12automatically Jehovah doesn't draw close . So it's also a tactic that Satan has used , right ? Certainly . And by Zoom , Adriana , >> people stop talking about God's name .
52:36>> Oh , thank you very much . It's , it's , it's , Sister Maria , right ? And I think so . It's José . José Camar . >> It's José . Étna . Étna is here in the middle .
52:58>> Satan is the father of the lie . And we see that one lie leads to another . The previous paragraph mentioned that people confuse Jesus with God . And we see this in our ministry . When we ask for God's name , they say it is Jesus . So this ends up preventing them from having a close friendship with Jehovah .
53:14I feel closer to Jesus than to God himself . >> Very good . Let's see more in paragraph 10 . When we face challenges in our life , we may think that Jehovah does not care about us . And that is exactly what Satan wants . He hopes that we become
53:35angry with Jehovah for allowing our suffering to continue . Those who feel this way might even think : " Why should I keep obeying Jehovah ? It doesn't help me at all . " This kind of thinking could distance us from Jehovah . And lead us to do things that would please Satan . >> What could make a servant of Jehovah
53:58become angry with Him ? Angry with Jehovah ? Ah , what could cause that ? It seems like an absurd thing . Sister Stephanie . It's when we go through
54:23something difficult , a challenge , and if we think it's Jehovah who is allowing our suffering to continue , we may even think that continuing to obey Jehovah is of no help at all . >> Yes , feelings are very strong , aren't they , Priscila ? Perhaps we may never
54:43get to the point of speaking against Jehovah , but Proverbs 19 : 3 talks about the heart becoming furious with Jehovah . So we can be furious with Jehovah in our heart , as if holding a grudge against Him . And that is dangerous , right , when we face challenges , because it can make us distance ourselves from
55:00Him . >> That's true . We don't want that to happen to us , do we ? Sister Roseli . >> In fact , perhaps what happened to Job might happen to us , right ? Maybe Jehovah does allow a period of time , but that is precisely when we prove our
55:22loyalty and our love for Jehovah , rather than thinking like people in the world or like those false comforters that God would protect us from every evil , right ? Because even Proverbs says that sometimes we ourselves cause our own difficulties . So , perhaps Jehovah allows it for us to learn a lesson . So ,
55:43this should draw us closer and closer to Him and provide the correct answer to Satan , that no tribulation will distance us from Jehovah . Exactly . Artur . Such thoughts happen because we
56:05were not created for this , right ? This type of pressure is unnatural for a human being , right ? We were created to be cared for by Jehovah , right ? And we follow his commands . And Satan knows this . He knows it is not natural for humans to go through this kind of pressure , and he uses the pressures of
56:24the world to make us give up serving Jehovah . Knowing this gives us even more confidence , because Jehovah wants to protect us and wants us to be sure that he cares for us and that the pressures we suffer do not come from him , but from Satan . >> That is true . Thank you very much .
56:43Let's go to paragraph 11 . Satan wants us to have doubts about Jehovah’s standards of what is right and wrong . One of the things he uses for this is social media . On these networks , many people say that the Bible’s moral
57:04standards are outdated and that people should be free to choose their own standards . It is clear that Satan , the ruler of the world , has succeeded in confusing people about what is right and wrong . Um , how has Satan created doubts about Jehovah’s standards ? How
57:27does Jehovah create doubts ? Not Jehovah , how does Satan , excuse me , create doubt about Jehovah , Fernando ? In the last topic , we saw a timeline from Adam to the early Christians , how Satan created doubt and invented lies .
57:47Jehovah left this so that we would not be surprised that he would use this tactic in our days as well . And how does he do that today ? As the paragraph says , social media as well , news reports , and other forms of entertainment . In them , he tries to make things that God hates seem normal .
58:06This can contaminate our minds and create doubts , as if he were saying , " Is that really what God said ? " " Is what is in the Bible really true ? " " But everyone does it differently , right ? " But a mature Christian with discernment will take into consideration the first sentence of this article , which says : " From the
58:25moment we dedicate ourselves to Jehovah , we become enemies of Satan . " And as it says in John 14:30 , these things are under his power , his government ; they are part of our enemy’s system . Therefore , we must be very careful and cautious with the use of these things .
58:46Thank you very much . And there is the illustration , right ? The illustration summarizes this very well . Sister Daniela , in the illustration , there is a sister who is scrolling through social media , and she is seeing some political ideas , influencers who
59:06perhaps spend , right ? Um , some violence too , parties , and even homosexuality as well , right ? It's interesting that Satan is able to use social media to deliver the right message to the right person , and he adapts . So , for a person who is religious , he will deliver something about false religion . For a
59:27person today — as people are becoming less and less religious , right ? — he plants certain ideas , right ? For example , social media is very focused on perfection , right ? And young people are increasingly rejecting this idea , right ? Because the perfection on social media is really distorted , right ? So you see , Satan is gradually planting
59:48the idea in people that what is perfect isn't good , in a distorted way , right ? And you see that this could eventually even cause a person to view Jehovah's promise as something that isn't good . So we see how his ideas are truly very dangerous . Thank you very much , Rodrigo
1:00:08. >> And it's interesting that here in the phrase from the publication , the image says that Satan's world unleashes a flood , right ? So , as Sister Daniela mentioned , this type of wrong information comes like a flood . Every time you access this type of information , a lot of irrelevant
1:00:29information comes to us , right , as Jehovah's Witnesses who love the true God . But Satan promotes this flood of wrong information so that we might perhaps normalize things that are wrong . >> Exactly . The volume , right ? The amount of information is incredible . Roberta ,
1:00:53it's interesting that Satan creates these doubts , but in a very subtle way , because when we look at the image , we see that the young woman is not being forced to abandon Jehovah's standards . She is just looking , right , repeatedly . So , over time , without realizing it , what once seemed strange to her can
1:01:12start to seem normal ; her conscience will no longer react the same way . So , the danger is that the change happens from within without us even noticing . That's true . Little by little , right ? Kevin . And part of this lie , besides
1:01:37contradicting Jehovah's standards , is making it seem like these people are happy or even happier than those who follow Jehovah's standards . >> That's it . It's deceptive , right ? Let's go to paragraph 12 . Listening to the ideas of Satan's world can distance us
1:01:59from Jehovah . A 20 - year-old sister named Shannon says : " It took a while for me to realize that my friendships and the moral standards I was learning at school were changing the way I think . I started to like things that Jehovah said are wrong . " The more time I spent on social media , the more I wanted to
1:02:20be like the people I met there . Little by little , I began to drift away from Jehovah , my family , and the brothers . After a while , Shenon made changes and returned to strengthening her friendship with Jehovah . In this way , she was able to escape this trap of Satan , which helped her .
1:02:39>> Why should we not listen to the ideas of Satan’s world ? Because it would be a great folly . Truly a folly . Listening to the ideas of Satan’s world can distance us from Jehovah . >> Ah , it really does distance us . Marcio ,
1:03:05>> that is a fact , right ? We have the experience of this sister here , who saw that the ideas , the friendships she was having , the moral standards that were different from what she learned in the Bible , were influencing her at school , and she started changing her way of thinking . So , she began to drift away
1:03:25from Jehovah , and the more time she spent with those people on social media , the more she wanted to adapt to those changes . And the result , unfortunately , was that she drifted away from Jehovah , her family , and the brothers . But it’s interesting that later , over time , Shenon herself returned to having
1:03:41a friendship with Jehovah . So she saw that these ideas from Satan can really harm our friendship with Jehovah . We have to be very careful . Paulo , Paulo here , and her example shows that it
1:04:04didn't happen overnight , as she mentioned here ; it took some time . So , submitting ourselves to small influences repeatedly can affect our mind and our heart . That is why it is important that we always watch who we are befriending and the content , the
1:04:26internet , and news that we are consuming . This can greatly influence our mind and heart , and over time , make us think that what is right in Jehovah's eyes becomes wrong . >> That’s true . Little by little , right , Wilson ? I found the expression " to
1:04:48listen " interesting . It was what Eve did . Satan began to talk to her . She interacted with him , she listened . So , when we listen to or interact with things that displease Jehovah , it can cast doubt , which is what happened to Eve . It is a very subtle strategy of
1:05:10Satan that can ensnare us . We want to nip it in the bud . Let’s go to 13 . Shend realized she needed to put forth effort to maintain her friendship with Jehovah and Jesus . She says : " I prayed and then acted in harmony with my prayers by doing research in our
1:05:30publications . The video Young People Ask : ' How Can I Make Real Friends ? ' helped me a lot . " In that video , a sister was going through challenges very similar to mine , but she was humble and asked her parents for help . So I did the same thing . My parents , the elders , and some mature sisters in
1:05:51the congregation helped me to break free from the bad friendships I had . I realized that serving Jehovah is not just about going to meetings or pleasing my parents , but about being convinced that I have found the truth and maintaining a close friendship with my Creator . >> What did you learn from Shannam's experience ? What do we learn by reading
1:06:16this experience ? Giordano , we have various types of help . We have Jehovah , we have the Bible , the publications , parents , brothers , and elders . Actually , asking for help is not a sign of weakness , but of humility and wisdom .
1:06:39>> We have a lot of help , don't we ? Vittor Hugo , >> one of the things she did , which was perhaps the most important , she brought Jehovah into her concerns . She mentions that she prayed and she let Jehovah help her . >> Yeah , she did the right thing , right ? Mateus ,
1:07:02>> Satan , he attacks everyone , right ? But nowadays , especially young people , right ? And it was the same thing he did with Eve , right ? He planted doubts in her , right ? He said , if we look at the account , Jehovah spoke directly to Adam , not to Eve . Adam passed it on to Eve ,
1:07:18right ? And today that happens a lot with young people born in the truth , right ? Parents pass the instructions on to their children . But something interesting she did here is understanding that it's not just about going to the meeting , something automatic she already learned to do and pleasing her parents . She needs to
1:07:34strengthen her friendship with Jehovah . That way she will succeed . So today , young people , right , who are born in the organization can do the same , right , strive to increase and strengthen their personal friendship with Jehovah . >> Thank you , Jaqueline . >> Something I learned from her experience
1:07:56is that the moment she realized where she was vulnerable , she had to take action to improve that situation . So , it required effort and she went after it . We have available , right , all these things , like Jehovah , Jesus , the material , but it is our duty to pursue it to strengthen that . Exactly . A good
1:08:15example for us , Adi . And one thing that really helped her , which I found quite interesting , is that she saw she needed to be convinced that she had found the truth , right ? And she really sought to
1:08:37do that ; it wasn't just for her parents , right ? or for something else , but for Jehovah himself . So , through research and by seeking Jehovah , she was able to strengthen her conviction that she was in the truth . So , that helped a lot . >> Exactly . So , in that sense , let's look
1:08:57at the next subheading . Be convinced that Jehovah and Jesus love you very much . To remain friends with Jehovah , we need to choose our friendships well . We also need to be careful not to believe everything we read or hear in this world of Satan's . For example ,
1:09:19much information is based on lies or half-truths . And if we pay attention to those things , we can be deceived . But that won't happen if we study the Bible and our publications , attend all the meetings , and have friends who love Jehovah . The more we know the truth ,
1:09:40the better prepared we will be to resist Satan's attempts to weaken our faith . >> Uh , how can we strengthen our confidence that Jehovah and Jesus love us very much ? Uh , let's see over Zoom . Sister Alaí . So , it is very important
1:10:06to choose friendships well and not believe everything we read or hear , right , in this world . And what is very important is studying the Bible and the publications , attending the meetings , because then we will have friends who love Jehovah and that will be a great help . >> Well , that is essential , isn't it ?
1:10:30Sister Luciana . And James 4 : 4 shows that whoever is a friend of the world ends up being an enemy of God . In other words , the more we believe that information and draw closer to the world , the further we drift from Jehovah . But the opposite is also true .
1:10:54The more we draw close to Jehovah , do deep personal study , and feed our spirituality , it will be easier to resist the world . >> That's true . Uh , Jehovah blesses us . Uh , Brother Carô , at some points in the
1:11:22study , we were able to see that Satan explores healthy , natural desires we have in order to distort the correct view of them . For example , friendships , right ? It is natural that we want to be part of a group , to be with people , but Satan does not want us to do that with
1:11:40Jehovah's people . He wants us to form an emotional bond , either with social media or with people who do not worship Jehovah , to distort the correct viewpoint . If we have a divided heart , that is enough for Satan . That is why we need to be very careful not to underestimate the influence he can have
1:11:58on us regarding friendships . Any bond we form with people who do not serve Jehovah , whether virtually or in person , will pull us away from Jehovah . That is why we need to do the opposite , to cling to our brothers , to cling to personal study , to Jehovah's word , so that this natural desire is not led
1:12:17toward what will pull us away from Jehovah . Thank you . And we have the picture , right ? The picture summarizes very well everything that we should do . Um , Sister Viviane .
1:12:39>> So , this set of images shows the same sister from the previous image , meditating during her personal study on ways to stay close to Jehovah . In the first image , she is walking her dog on the beach . In the second , she is at a social gathering with friends outdoors . In the third , she is participating in
1:12:55public witnessing with the cart . And in the fourth , she receives an encouraging visit from two elders while she is in the hospital . And the caption shows that if we do this , thinking about what we can do to continue having a strong friendship with Jehovah , it will help us overcome Satan's tactics . >> Exactly . She is quite busy , isn't she ?
1:13:15Very good . Let's go to paragraph 15 . Studying the Bible carefully increases our confidence that Jehovah and Jesus love us very much . For example , when we meditate on accounts that show how much Jehovah and Jesus care about humans , we see that they are reliable friends . The
1:13:36Bible is also full of expressions of Jehovah's and Jesus ' love for us . For example , Jehovah said that the love he feels for his servants is greater than the love a mother feels for her child . He also says that people who love his name are his special property , meaning they are very precious to him . Jesus
1:13:56made clear the depth of his love for us when he spoke about his sacrifice . How can we strengthen our confidence that Jehovah and Jesus love us very much ? How can we strengthen it ? Ah , is it Júlio or Mariela on Zoom ?
1:14:22>> So , according to Proverbs 22:19 , the more knowledge we have about Jehovah , the more our confidence will increase . Exactly . So we have to put effort into that , right ? Increase our confidence . Sister Margarete . Here in the paragraph
1:14:50, it also cites various expressions of love that Jehovah and Jesus have for us , right ? One that is very beautiful is here , the example in Isaiah 49:15 . Which says that even if a mother were to forget her child , which is something so important — the bond of a mother with her child , right ? Even if these
1:15:10women forget you , I will never forget you . So , this love — when we read about it and meditate on it , we always feel closer to Jesus and Jehovah . >> Yes , there is no doubt at all that Jehovah loves us . Gerson ,
1:15:30>> always meditating on the sacrifice and the ransom of our Lord Jesus Christ , which was provided by our loving Creator , Jehovah . >> Yes , Jesus loves us very much , Milena . >> It is interesting that Satan wants to sow doubt , right ? But Jehovah does not ;
1:15:52he wants us to be sure and convinced that he and Jesus love us . So , the more we study these accounts , the more convinced we will be of this . And then , when we see some scheme of Satan trying to deceive us , we will be the ones to doubt that , and we won't let it cause
1:16:08us to doubt . >> Yes , we have to be convinced . Let's go to paragraph 16 . Another way to strengthen our confidence that Jehovah and Jesus love us is by meditating on the help we have already received from them . For example , we can think about prayers we’ve made that Jehovah has
1:16:29already answered , or times when he gave us the strength we needed . We can also ask other brothers how they have felt this help in their own lives . Doing this will strengthen our certainty that no matter what challenges we face , Jehovah and Jesus will be by our side and will help us . >> Let's look at Psalm 118 verses 5 and 6 .
1:16:55Yes , the brother who is visiting us . I called on Jah in my distress ; Jah answered me and brought me to a safe place . Jehovah is on my side ; I will not be afraid . What can man do to me ?
1:17:17>> Thank you very much , brother . Why is it good to remember the times Jehovah has helped us and others ? Because it is very important to remember that . Oh , that’s Roberta . Because when we are facing a new difficulty , sometimes that difficulty can occupy our minds so much
1:17:39that , for a moment , we might lose sight of the proofs of care we have already received from Jehovah . So , meditating on how much Jehovah has already helped us is not just recalling the past , but allowing those experiences to strengthen our faith . So , we know that Jehovah will help ; we just don't know
1:17:57how , but we know that Jehovah will provide a way out . Thank you , Sister Dilse . Um , personally , um , there are many songs that strengthen me . And when
1:18:17I go through difficult situations , one of the many songs I remember is : " Jehovah Is My Strength and Hope . " Because in that song , there is a phrase that strengthens me a lot , because it says : " O Jehovah , please help me never forget how many times your hand , Father
1:18:40, has come to my rescue . " So I think it's good to remember past difficulties , not to suffer , but to remember how much Jehovah has already cared for me and strengthened me . And so I feel increasingly strengthened that he , just
1:19:00as he cared for me in past situations , will certainly be with me and will continue to care for me in situations that may arise ahead . Just as it also strengthens us , um , to read in the Bible accounts of Jehovah's servants who went through trials , suffering ,
1:19:21difficult situations , and how much Jehovah helped , that also strengthens us . So , both remembering our own past situations and those of these loyal servants of Jehovah will always strengthen us that Jehovah will never leave us , he will always care for us .
1:19:41Exactly . It's a certainty . Ah , Priscila . And sometimes it can happen that we go through difficulties , ask for Jehovah's help , but as time passes , we don't realize how Jehovah helped us . We don't see the answer . One thing that
1:20:03helps me a lot is when I'm going through difficulties , to write down these difficulties and how I ask for Jehovah's help . And from time to time , I reread this notebook and see past notes . Then I see that regarding past difficulties , Jehovah helped me in that situation in such a wonderful , such a
1:20:19natural way , that I don't even remember anymore . So this is an opportunity to stop and think about how Jehovah answered those prayers of mine . And these moments strengthen my faith . >> That increases your confidence , doesn't it ? Fernanda here in the front . Emerson
1:20:41is walking quite a bit . Um , the paragraph cited Proverbs , um 22:17 , which is very beautiful , telling us to pay attention and listen to the words of the wise , right ? And I found that sentence at the end of the paragraph beautiful . It said that doing this , that is , um , remembering the times that
1:21:02Jehovah has already helped us and helped our brothers , will strengthen us with the certainty that no matter the challenges , right , that we face , Jehovah and Jesus will be by our side and help us . And here we are in a very privileged place , right ? The opportunity we have to hear commuters ,
1:21:20for example , tell stories of how Jehovah helped them get here , or Bethelites telling how Jehovah helped them persevere , is really very strengthening to show that Jehovah is always on our side , no matter the circumstances . >> That's true . Let's go to paragraph 17 .
1:21:44We all want to continue having a strong friendship with Jehovah and Jesus , but until Satan and his demons are destroyed forever , we will need to fight against their attempts to weaken the faith we have in our God and his Son . To defeat our enemies ' tactics , we must always strengthen our friendship
1:22:04with Jehovah and be convinced that he and his dear Son love us and care about us . If we do this , Jesus guarantees that no one will be able to snatch us from the Father's hand . >> Let's read John 10:29 . Brother Paulo ,
1:22:25>> What my Father has given me is something greater than all other things , and no one can snatch them out of the hand of the Father . >> Very good . So , according to John 10:29 , what guarantee does Jesus give to all those who continue to love him and his Father ? What is the guarantee that
1:22:47Jesus gave ? Gerson . In the vocabulary , the word " no one " means no human being ; that is , no authority , no government , or hidden force can take away this guarantee that Jesus left for us , according to John 10:29 .
1:23:10>> Exactly . So , we must be truly convinced . Tavares . >> James 4 : 7 says : " Therefore , subject yourselves to God , but oppose the Devil , and he will flee from you . " >> Exactly . So , we have to draw close to
1:23:33Jehovah , right ? Let's go to the last one . 18 . Other two tactics that Satan uses to try to destroy our friendship with Jehovah are divisions within the congregation and opposition from outsiders . How can we be successful in fighting against these tactics ? That is
1:23:53what we will see in the next study . >> Thank you very much , Aíton . What will we see in the next study ? Ah , Brother Meire . We will see that divisions within the congregation and opposition from outsiders are two tactics used by
1:24:14Satan to destroy our friendship with Jehovah . And how can we fight against these tactics ? >> Very good . So we will see more tactics next week . And for the review , how would you answer ? What lie did Satan tell about Jehovah and Jesus ? In the
1:24:35past , what were some lies he told back then , early on in history ? Affirm . In
1:25:00the past , he told Eve , for example , that God was being too restrictive regarding Jesus . Uh , people said he hadn't even been resurrected , that they had stolen his very body . >> Exactly . >> So , he cast doubt , right ? Ah , Sister Luciana . And also in Job's case , he
1:25:28wanted Job to doubt Jehovah's love and not value his integrity . >> Exactly . So he is very clever at casting doubt , isn't he ? And what lies has Satan been telling about Jehovah and Jesus today ? The brother visiting
1:25:49us . So today , Satan uses false religion to hide the truths about Jehovah and Jesus ; for example , some teach that the two are the same person , preventing people from knowing their names . And he
1:26:12also wants us to think that Jehovah doesn't love us and doesn't care about us . >> Thank you . It's Adriana on Zoom still . >> And also , Satan uses false religion to claim that God is to blame for
1:26:34suffering . But that is all a lie , right ? And Jehovah does not cause suffering . Because Jehovah is love . >> That's true . Mael is not Andy . It's Eduardo . I got them confused . Michael is right here in front . >> And we also saw how crafty Satan is ,
1:26:54because people generally seek religion to draw close to God . And how Satan uses the world's religions to end up pushing people away from Jehovah , right ? Uh , so we have to stay sharp , as they say . And what convinces you that
1:27:15Jehovah and Jesus love you very much and care about you ? A very personal question , right ? What convinces you is Won . Ah , >> what I have been meditating on a lot , right ? Since this assignment began , it
1:27:35has shown how Jehovah and Jesus have taken care of me in every way , right ? Sometimes the worries are many , as we saw in these previous paragraphs , but meditating on what Jehovah has already done , even if a difficulty arises , how he helped us strengthens us more and more , right ? And it convinces me of how
1:27:52Jehovah and Jesus care for me , look after me , and love me so much , because of everything he does , giving me wonderful friends , and help in any way , whether physical or spiritual . But Jehovah and Jesus have always shown care and affection for me , especially now in this assignment . >> Uh , Rodrigo .
1:28:12>> Also here in the congregation , when we draw close to Jehovah , he gives us loyal friends who help us to remain faithful to him as well . >> Thank you . And Sister Jessica is the hardest thing Jehovah did , which was to give his son's life for us , right ? So , nothing is harder than that . So ,
1:28:34anything else we need , Jehovah will do , because what was most precious to him , he gave to us , right ? So , we can be confident . >> Thank you . Brother Gerson now >> I am convinced that our generation , being here present , we are living proof
1:28:55of the miracle of life . Our Creator uses the beautiful arrangement of reproduction to perpetuate the species . Have you ever thought about how many generations our Heavenly Father protected until we got here ? Do you want more proof of love ? Than that ? >> That’s true . So we have to trust in
1:29:19Jehovah . The Devil is a great liar . He is subtle . He casts doubts , but we must trust in Jehovah , in Jesus . Uh , did you notice throughout the article how many times the word " to be , " the expression " to be convinced " or " to convince oneself " appeared ? It’s interesting
1:29:42because , uh , we have to have full certainty , not even a little bit of doubt , because , uh , in metal , there are sometimes micro-fissures that are even invisible to the naked eye , but these micro-fissures can cause a piece of iron under pressure to break . So , those
1:30:07micro-fissures are what the Devil wants to introduce into our minds . I am , I trust in Jehovah , but will he , in a certain situation , will Jehovah take care of me , will he care about me ? Those are micro-fissures . And it , when
1:30:30a piece of metal has these micro-fissures , it needs to be replaced , because they don’t fix themselves , they have to be replaced . How do we replace that ? By , uh , transforming our way of thinking . We cannot continue , uh
1:30:52, with these doubts , because if these micro-fissures exist , our trust in Jehovah will break . It could be now , it could even be during the great tribulation , but they cannot persist . Ah , and that is what we are going to sing about now . It is song 150 . Seek
1:31:16God for deliverance . And then Brother Kevin will give the final prayer for us . Seven and we also see that afterward it certainly appeared they were afraid ,
1:31:36but they did not stop preaching at that moment . Now in our time , the adversary continues telling lies about Jehovah and Jesus . Let’s see how . Eight . How the adversary uses his agency to spread lies about Jehovah and Jesus . And we see how he has or establishes a direct
1:31:58channel of communication . The religious leaders of today teach lies . Through them , the adversary continues to cloud people's minds so they don't understand who Jehovah and Jesus really are . Many
1:32:20leaders teach that the Father and the Son are the same person . Because of this , they end up worshipping the Son and are in total confusion . That is one example , and there are other lies as well . Nine , by means of false religion ,
1:32:45what has the adversary prevented people from learning ? And they need to see that God is not the cause of suffering . And they also need to see that God has a name . For example , for a long time
1:33:07the adversary has used false religion to make people forget God's name . For example , the Roman religion , the Roman church , establishes that God's name must not be used in their masses or religious meetings . They have removed
1:33:30God's name from their own Reina-Valera translation , using only titles like Lord or God . Also , another lie is that Jehovah is the cause of suffering .
1:33:51Because of this , many people are afraid of God and do not want to , or cannot , learn about him . As James 4 : 8 says , it says : " What could make a servant of Jehovah get angry with him when we go
1:34:12through situations or challenges in our life and we might feel or think that God does not care about us ? " And it can be difficult because we are thinking if we are going to the kingdom and why
1:34:33this is happening to us in a way that doesn't help us at all . Let's see number 11 now . How the adversary has created doubts about Jehovah's standards . And it's not the only one , but one of the things he uses is social
1:34:56media . On these networks , many people say that the Bible's moral standards are outdated and that people should be free to choose their own standards . It is not saying that you shouldn't use social media . We must be careful . And
1:35:19we see how he is clever at confusing people about what is to be tolerated . As Isaiah 5:20 says , for the people , what is bad is good , and what is good is bad for them . 12 . Why should we not
1:35:40listen to the ideas of the world ? Because it can pull us away from Jehovah , as happened to a sister named Shannon . She began to have more friendships , started wanting to be like them , speak like them , act like them , and she no longer liked the spiritual
1:36:02environment in the congregation and also within her own family . And little by little , she began to move away from Jehovah , her family , and her brothers . Very dangerous . Let's see now what it
1:36:25tells us , what did you learn from Shannon's experience ? That it is important to strive to maintain our friendship with Jehovah and Jesus . And it is also important to watch the organization's videos , for example , how
1:36:45to make real friends from a few years ago . And it is also important to be humble and ask for help , not proud . And it is important that we be friends with our brothers . And it is a point as well , and we will see that it is important
1:37:08to help them with our friendship . A final point she made is that serving Jehovah is not just attending meetings , but being convinced that we have the truth and maintaining a close friendship with our Creator . Be
1:37:34convinced that Jehovah and Jesus love you very much . 14 . What can we do so that Jehovah is happy with us and that the adversary does not weaken our faith ? One point , choose our friendships well . Also be careful not to believe
1:37:58everything we read or hear in this world . There is much false information or half-truths . 15 . How can we strengthen our confidence that Jehovah and Jesus love us very much ? It is
1:38:22important to study the Bible carefully and meditate on what we read . There are accounts that show how much Jehovah and Jesus care about us . Undoubtedly to strengthen and encourage our faith . 16 .
1:38:47Why is it good to remember the times Jehovah has already helped us and others , because in this way we will strengthen our confidence that Jehovah and Jesus love us . It is very encouraging and we can cheer one another up in this way , by asking
1:39:09brothers how they have felt this help in their lives . 17 . According to John 10:29 , what guarantee does Jesus give to all those who continue to love him and his Father ? And we find the answer
1:39:32that guarantees that no one will be able to snatch us from the hand of our Father Jehovah , because we are his sheep . What will we see in the next study ? And we will see how the
1:39:56adversary uses two tactics to destroy our friendship with Jehovah : divisions within the congregation and also opposition from people on the outside . This is how we will encourage ourselves
1:40:17, by considering the information . Thank you very much for being here today for our discussion . May Jehovah bless you all and your dear families . Thank you very much and until next time . Praise .