34567MARCH 2021

LARGE PRINT EDITION

STUDY ARTICLES FOR:MAY 3–JUNE 6, 2021

2

STUDYARTICLE 9

Young Men—How CanYou Gain the Trust ofOthers?“You have your company of young men just like dewdrops.”—PS. 110:3.

SONG 39Make a Good Name With God

PREVIEWAs young brothers mature spiritually, they want toserve Jehovah in additional ways. To qualify asministerial servants, they need to earn and maintainthe respect of those in their congregation. What stepscan young brothers take?

YOUNG brothers, you have a lot to offer. Many ofyou are strong and full of energy. (Prov. 20:29) Youare a real asset to your congregation. You may lookforward to the time when you are appointed as aministerial servant. However, you may feel thatothers view you as being too young or too inexpe-rienced to be entrusted with important work. Eventhough you may be young, there are things you cando right now to earn the trust and respect of thosein your congregation.

2 In this article, we will focus on the life ofKing David. We will also briefly review incidents inthe lives of Asa and Jehoshaphat—two kings of Ju-dah. We will examine the types of challenges thesethree men faced, how they reacted, and what youngbrothers can learn from their examples.

LEARN FROM KING DAVID3 While young, David developed skills that others

valued. He was clearly a spiritual person, and hecultivated his skill as a musician and used that tal-ent to benefit Saul, God’s appointed king. (1 Sam.

1. What is true about our young brothers?2. What will we consider in this article?3. What is one way that younger ones can help older ones in thecongregation?

MARCH 2021 3

16:16, 23) Do you young men have a skill that couldbenefit others in the congregation? Many of you do.For example, you may notice that some older onesappreciate being shown how to make the best useof their tablets and other electronic devices for per-sonal study and for meetings. Your knowledge ofthese devices can be of great benefit to such olderones.

4 In his daily life, David proved to be responsibleand reliable. For example, as a young man, he dili-gently looked after his father’s sheep. That turnedout to be a dangerous assignment. David later ex-plained to King Saul: “Your servant became a shep-herd of his father’s flock, and a lion came, also abear, and each carried off a sheep from the flock. Iwent out after it and struck it down and rescued itfrom its mouth.” (1 Sam. 17:34, 35) David felt re-sponsible for the welfare of the sheep, and he cou-rageously fought for them. Young brothers can im-itate David by diligently fulfilling any assignmentthey are given.

5 Young David developed a close, personal rela-

4. Like David, what qualities must young brothers develop? (Seecover picture.)5. According to Psalm 25:14, what is the most important thing thatyoung brothers can do?

4 THE WATCHTOWER

MARCH 2021 5

tionship with Jehovah. That relationship was moreimportant than David’s courage or his skill with astringed instrument. Jehovah was not only David’sGod but also his Friend—his close Friend. (ReadPsalm 25:14.) Young brothers, the most importantthing that you can do is to strengthen your rela-tionship with your heavenly Father, and that mayresult in your receiving additional privileges.

6 David had to overcome the negative views thatothers had of him. For example, when David volun-teered to fight Goliath, King Saul tried to dissuadehim, saying: “You are but a boy.” (1 Sam. 17:31-33)Earlier, David’s own brother accused him of beingirresponsible. (1 Sam. 17:26-30) However, Jehovahdid not view David as being either immature or ir-responsible. He knew the young man. And by rely-ing on his Friend, Jehovah, for strength, Davidstruck down Goliath.—1 Sam. 17:45, 48-51.

7 What can you learn from David’s experience?We learn that we need to be patient. It may taketime for those who have known you as a child tostart viewing you as a young adult.You can be sure,however, that Jehovah sees beyond your outward

6. What negative views did some have of David?7. What can you learn from one account about David?

6 THE WATCHTOWER

appearance. He knows who you are and what youare capable of doing. (1 Sam. 16:7) Strengthen yourrelationship with God. David did that by lookingclosely at Jehovah’s creative works. David consid-ered what such works reveal about the Creator. (Ps.8:3, 4; 139:14; Rom. 1:20) Another thing you cando is to look to Jehovah for strength. For example,do some of your schoolmates make fun of you be-cause you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses? If so,pray for Jehovah to help you deal with this chal-lenge. And apply the practical advice you find in hisWord and in our Bible-based publications and vid-eos. Each time you see Jehovah help you deal witha challenge, your confidence in him will grow. Fur-thermore, as others see that you rely on Jehovah,you will gain their trust.

8 Consider another challenge that David faced.After he was anointed to be king, David had to waitmany years before he was officially enthroned asking of Judah. (1 Sam. 16:13; 2 Sam. 2:3, 4) Duringthat interval, what helped him to wait patiently? In-stead of becoming paralyzed by discouragement,David focused on what he could do. For example,while living as a fugitive in Philistine territory, Da-

8-9. What helped David to wait patiently until he became king, andwhat can young brothers learn from his example?

vid seized the opportunity to fight against Israel’senemies. In doing so, he protected the boundariesof the territory of Judah.—1 Sam. 27:1-12.

9 What can young brothers learn from David’sexample? Use the opportunities open to you toserve your brothers. Consider the experience of abrother named Ricardo.� From his early teens, hedreamed of serving as a regular pioneer. But he wasnot ready. Instead of giving up or becoming bitter,Ricardo increased his share in the ministry. Hesays: “Looking back, I can see that it was good forme to make needed progress. I focused on following

� Some names have been changed.

Young brothers can humbly assist others in many ways(See paragraphs 8-9)

8 THE WATCHTOWER

up on any interest I found and on having productivereturn visits. I even conducted my first Bible study.As I gained experience, my confidence grew.” Ricar-do now serves as an effective regular pioneer andas a ministerial servant.

10 Consider another account in David’s life. Dur-ing the time when he and his men were fugitives,they had left their families to go on a mission.Whilethe men were away, an enemy force raided theirhomes and took their families captive. David couldhave concluded that with all the experience he hadas a warrior, he could surely devise an effectivestrategy for rescuing the captives. Instead, Davidlooked to Jehovah for guidance. With the help of apriest named Abiathar, David inquired of Jehovah:“Should I chase after this marauder band?” Jeho-vah indicated that David should do so and assuredhim that he would be successful. (1 Sam. 30:7-10)What can you learn from this incident?

11 Seek advice before you make decisions. Consultyour parents. You can also get good advice by talk-ing to experienced elders. Jehovah trusts these ap-

10. On one occasion, what did David do before he made an impor-tant decision?11. What can you do before making decisions?

MARCH 2021 9

pointed men, and you can too. Jehovah views themas “gifts” to the congregation. (Eph. 4:8) You willbenefit by imitating their faith and by listening tothe wise suggestions they give. Now let us considerwhat we can learn from King Asa.

LEARN FROM KING ASA12 As a young man, King Asa was humble and cou-

rageous. For example, when he succeeded his fa-ther, Abijah, he launched a campaign against idola-try. He also “told Judah to search for Jehovah

12. What qualities did King Asa have when he began to rule?

Young brothers should seek the advice of elders(See paragraph 11)

the God of their forefathers and to observe theLaw and the commandment.” (2 Chron. 14:1-7)And when Zerah the Ethiopian invaded Judah with1,000,000 soldiers, Asa wisely turned to Jehovahfor help, saying: “O Jehovah, it does not matter toyou whether those you help are many or have nopower. Help us, O Jehovah our God, for we are re-lying on you.” This beautiful expression shows howmuch confidence Asa had in Jehovah’s ability tosave him and his people. Asa trusted in his heaven-ly Father, and “Jehovah defeated the Ethiopians.”—2 Chron. 14:8-12.

13 You would no doubt agree that facing an armyof 1,000,000 soldiers was a huge challenge, and itwas one that Asa met successfully. Sadly, however,when a less daunting challenge presented itself, Asadid not consult Jehovah. On being threatened bywicked King Baasha of Israel, Asa turned to theking of Syria for help. That decision led to disaster!Through his prophet Hanani, Jehovah told Asa:“Because you relied on the king of Syria and did notrely on Jehovah your God, the army of the king ofSyria has escaped out of your hand.” In fact, fromthen on, Asa was constantly at war. (2 Chron. 16:7, 9; 1 Ki. 15:32) What is the lesson?

13. What later happened to Asa, and why?

10 THE WATCHTOWER

14 Remain humble and continue to rely on Jeho-vah.When you got baptized, you showed great faithand trust in Jehovah. And Jehovah happily entrust-ed you with the privilege of becoming a member ofhis family. The key now is to continue to rely on Je-hovah. It may seem that it is easy to rely on Jeho-vah when you must make life-altering decisions, butwhat about at other times? How important it isthat you trust in Jehovah when making decisions,including those regarding entertainment, secularwork, and life goals! Do not rely on your own wis-dom. Instead, look for Bible principles that apply toyour circumstances, and then act in harmony withthat direction. (Prov. 3:5, 6) If you do so, you willmake Jehovah happy and you will earn the respectof those in your congregation.—Read 1 Timothy4:12.

LEARN FROM KING JEHOSHAPHAT15 Of course, like all of us, you are imperfect,

and at times you will make mistakes. However,this should not prevent you from doing all you

14. How can you rely on Jehovah, and according to 1 Timothy 4:12,what will you become if you do so?15. As recorded at 2 Chronicles 18:1-3; 19:2, what mistakes didKing Jehoshaphat make?

MARCH 2021 11

12 THE WATCHTOWER

can in Jehovah’s service. Consider the example ofKing Jehoshaphat. He had many fine qualities. As ayoung man, “he searched for the God of his fatherand followed his commandment.” Furthermore, hesent princes to travel throughout the cities of Ju-dah to teach the people about Jehovah. (2 Chron.17:4, 7) As sincere as he was, though, Jehoshaphatsometimes made bad decisions. As a result of onesuch decision, Jehoshaphat was censured by one ofJehovah’s representatives. (Read 2 Chronicles 18:1-3; 19:2.) What lesson can you learn from that ac-count?

Young brothers who are industriousand reliable acquire a fine reputation

(See paragraph 16)

MARCH 2021 13

16 Accept and apply counsel. Perhaps, like manyyoung men, you struggle to set proper prioritiesfor yourself. Do not be discouraged. Note the expe-rience of a young brother named Rajeev. Referringto his teenage years, he says: “I sometimes felt lostduring those years. Like many other young ones, Iwas more interested in sports and having fun thanin going to the meetings or out in the ministry.”What helped Rajeev? A concerned elder gave himsome counsel. Rajeev relates: “He helped me to rea-son on the principle found at 1 Timothy 4:8.” Ra-jeev responded humbly to the counsel and reeval-uated his priorities in life. He says: “I decided tomake spiritual goals a priority.” The result? “A fewyears after receiving that counsel,” explains Rajeev,“I qualified to serve as a ministerial servant.”

MAKE YOUR HEAVENLY FATHERPROUD OF YOU

17 Older ones deeply appreciate you young menwho serve Jehovah “shoulder to shoulder” withthem! (Zeph. 3:9) They love your zealous spirit andthe energetic, enthusiastic way you do the work

16. What can you learn from Rajeev’s experience?17. How do older ones feel about the young men who serve Jeho-vah?

you are given. You have found favor in their eyes.—1 John 2:14.

18 Young brothers, never forget that Jehovahloves and trusts you. He foretold that during thelast days, there would be an army of young menwho would offer themselves willingly. (Ps. 110:1-3)He knows that you love him and want to serve himto the best of your ability. So be patient with oth-ers, and be patient with yourself. When you makemistakes, accept the training and discipline thatyou receive, viewing it as coming from Jehovah.(Heb. 12:6) Diligently care for any assignments youare given. And above all, in everything you do,make your heavenly Father proud of you.—ReadProverbs 27:11.

18. As indicated at Proverbs 27:11, how does Jehovah feel aboutthe young men who serve him?

WHAT DIDYOU LEARN FROM THE LIFE OF . . .

˛ David? ˛ Asa? ˛ Jehoshaphat?

SONG 135Jehovah’s Warm Appeal: “Be Wise, My Son”

15

STUDYARTICLE 10

As a Congregation,Help Bible Students toProgress to Baptism“Each respective member . . . contributes to the growthof the body.”—EPH. 4:16.

SONG 85Welcome One Another

PREVIEWNot all of us presently have the privilege of conductinga Bible study. However, all of us can help someone toprogress to baptism. In this article, we will see how eachof us can help a student to reach that goal.

16 THE WATCHTOWER

“I LOVED what I was learning in my Bible study,”says Amy, who lives in Fiji. “I knew that it was thetruth. But it was not until I began associating withthe brothers and sisters that I made needed changesand progressed to baptism.” Amy’s experience high-lights this important truth: A Bible student is morelikely to make steady progress toward baptism whenhe receives help from others in the congregation.

2 Each publisher can contribute to the increase ofthe congregation. (Eph. 4:16) A pioneer named Lei-lani, who lives in Vanuatu, notes: “It has been saidthat it takes a village to raise a child. I think the sameis true about making disciples; it usually takes a con-gregation to bring someone into the truth.” Familymembers, friends, and teachers all play a role inhelping a child to progress to maturity. They do thisby encouraging the child and teaching him impor-tant lessons. Similarly, publishers can advise, en-courage, and set a good example for Bible students,helping them to progress to baptism.—Prov. 15:22.

3 Why should the publisher who conducts the Biblestudy welcome the help that other publishers cangive the student? Note what Ana, a special pioneer in

1-2. Who can help a Bible student to progress to baptism?3. What do you learn from the comments made by Ana, Dorin, andLeilani?

MARCH 2021 17

Moldova, says, “It is very difficult for one person tofill all the needs that a Bible student has when hestarts to progress.” Dorin, a special pioneer serv-ing in that same country, observes, “Often, otherpublishers say something that touches the student’sheart, something that I would never have thoughtof.” Leilani mentions another reason, “The love andwarmth shown to the student can help him to identi-fy Jehovah’s people.”—John 13:35.

4 However, you may wonder, ‘How can I personal-ly help a Bible student to progress when I am not theone who conducts the study?’ Let us consider whatwe can do when we are invited to sit in on a Biblestudy and what we can do when the Bible student be-gins to attend meetings. We will also see how elderscan help Bible students to progress to baptism.

WHEN YOU SIT IN ON A BIBLE STUDY5 At a Bible study, the teacher is primarily respon-

sible for helping the student to understand God’sWord. If the teacher invites you to accompany him,you should view yourself as his partner. Your role isto support him. (Eccl. 4:9, 10) What, specifically, can

4. What will we discuss in this article?5. What role do you play when you are invited to sit in on a Biblestudy?

18 THE WATCHTOWER

you do to help make the Bible study session produc-tive?

6 Prepare for the Bible study. First, ask the teacherto tell you a little about the student. (Read Proverbs20:18.) You could ask: “What is the Bible student’sbackground? What topic will you be studying withhim? What is your objective for this session? Is thereanything that I should or should not do or say whileat the study? What might encourage the student toprogress?” Obviously, the teacher would not shareany confidential information, but what he does sharecan be helpful. A missionary named Joy has thistype of discussion with those who accompany her ona Bible study. She acknowledges: “This discussionhelps my companion to be interested in the studentand to know how to contribute to the study.”

7 If you are invited to sit in on a study, it would begood if you could prepare the material that will bediscussed. (Ezra 7:10) Dorin, the brother quoted ear-lier, says: “I appreciate it when my companion pre-pares for the study. Then he can participate in ameaningful way.” Additionally, the student will likelynotice that both of you are well-prepared, and this

6. When you are going to sit in on a Bible study, how can you ap-ply the principle found at Proverbs 20:18?7. Why do you as a companion need to prepare for the study?

MARCH 2021 19

will set a good example for him. Even if you are notable to prepare the material thoroughly, at least takesome time to get the key points of the lesson in mind.

8 Prayer is an important part of a Bible study ses-sion, so think in advance about what to say if you areasked to offer a prayer. Then your prayer will likelybe more meaningful. (Ps. 141:2) Hanae, who lives inJapan, still remembers the prayers offered by a sis-ter who accompanied her Bible teacher. She says: “Ifelt her strong friendship with Jehovah, and I want-ed to be like her. I also felt loved when she includedmy name in her prayers.”

8. How could you make sure that your prayer at a Bible study ismeaningful?

When you are going to sit in on a Bible study,prepare the material that will be considered

(See paragraphs 5-7)

20 THE WATCHTOWER

9 Support the teacher during the study. “A helpfulcompanion follows along in the study,” says Omamu-yovbi, a special pioneer in Nigeria. “The compan-ion contributes meaningfully but does not talk toomuch, realizing that the teacher takes the lead.”How can you know when and how to contribute tothe study? (Prov. 25:11) Listen attentively while theteacher and the student are talking. (Read James 1:19.) Only then will you be ready to assist if fitting.Of course, you must use good judgment. For in-stance, you would not want to talk too much, inter-rupt the teacher’s line of reasoning, or introduce adifferent topic. But with a brief comment, illustra-tion, or question, you could help clarify the point be-ing taught. At times, you may feel that you cannotadd much to the study. But if you commend the stu-dent and show personal interest in him, you will domuch to help him to progress.

10 Share your experience. If it is appropriate, youcould briefly tell the student how you learned thetruth, how you overcame a challenge, or how youhave seen Jehovah’s helping hand in your life. (Ps.78:4, 7) Your experience could be just what the stu-

9. According to James 1:19, what can you do to be a helpful com-panion at a Bible study?10. How might your experience help a Bible student?

MARCH 2021 21

dent needs to hear. It may strengthen his faith or en-courage him to continue progressing to baptism.And it might show him how to overcome a trial thathe is facing. (1 Pet. 5:9) Gabriel, who lives in Braziland now serves as a pioneer, remembers how he ben-efited when he was studying the Bible. He recalls:“When I heard the brothers’ experiences, I learnedthat Jehovah sees the challenges we face. And if theycould overcome them, I could too.”

WHEN THE BIBLE STUDENTATTENDS MEETINGS

11 For a Bible student to progress to baptism, hemust regularly attend congregation meetings andbenefit from them. (Heb. 10:24, 25) Likely, theteacher will invite him to his first meeting. When heattends, all of us can encourage him to keep on com-ing to the Kingdom Hall. How, specifically, can we dothat?

12 Warmly welcome the student. (Rom. 15:7) If thestudent is made to feel welcome at the meetings, hewill likely be more inclined to continue coming tothe Kingdom Hall. Without overwhelming him, greetthe student warmly, and introduce him to others. Do

11-12. Why should we warmly welcome a Bible student who attendsmeetings?

22 THE WATCHTOWER

not assume that he is being cared for; the teachermay be delayed or have responsibilities to handle.Pay close attention to what the student says, andshow a personal interest in him. What effect couldyour warm welcome have? Note the experience ofDmitrii, who was baptized just a few years ago andnow serves as a ministerial servant. Recalling hisfirst meeting, he says: “A brother saw me waitingnervously outside the Kingdom Hall and kindly ac-companied me inside. Many came up to greet me. Iwas really surprised. I liked it so much that I wishedwe had a meeting every day of the week. I felt some-thing I had not experienced anywhere else.”

13 Set a good example.Your conduct can help to con-vince the Bible student that he has found the truth.(Matt. 5:16) Vitalii, who now serves as a pioneer inMoldova, says: “I learned how others in the congre-

13. What effect can your conduct have on a Bible student?

MARCH 2021 23

gation lived, thought, and behaved. This convincedme that Jehovah’s Witnesses truly walk with God.”

14 To qualify for baptism, the student needs to ap-ply what he is learning. This is not always easy. Butwhen the student observes how you benefit from ap-plying Bible principles, he may well be motivated toimitate you. (1 Cor. 11:1) Consider the experienceof Hanae, mentioned earlier. She comments: “Thebrothers and sisters were living examples of what Iwas learning. I saw how I could be encouraging andforgiving and how I could show love. They alwaysspoke favorably about others. I wanted to imitatethem.”

15 Make friends with the student. As the stu-dent continues attending meetings, keep showing

14. How might your example help someone to keep progressing?15. How does Proverbs 27:17 help us to see why we should makefriends with a Bible student as he continues attending meetings?

All of us canencourage thestudent to continueattending meetings(See paragraph 11)

24 THE WATCHTOWER

personal interest in him. (Phil. 2:4) Why not talkwith him? Without being too personal, you couldcommend him for any positive changes he has madeand ask him about his Bible study, his family, and hiswork. These conversations might draw you closer to-gether.When you befriend the student, you help himto progress to baptism. (Read Proverbs 27:17.) Ha-nae now serves as a regular pioneer. Recalling whenshe first started to attend meetings, she says: “As Imade friends in the congregation, I began lookingforward to the meetings, and I attended even when Ifelt tired. I enjoyed the company of my new friends,and this helped me to end my friendships with thosewho did not share my beliefs. I wanted to get closerto Jehovah and to the brothers and sisters. Hence, Idecided to get baptized.”

16 As the student continues to progress and makechanges, help him to feel that he belongs in the con-gregation.You can do this by being hospitable. (Heb.13:2) Looking back on his days as a Bible student,Denis, who serves in Moldova, remembers: “Severaltimes, my wife and I were invited to socialize withthe brothers. We heard how they had seen Jehovahhelp them. That encouraged us. These occasions

16. What else can you do to help a Bible student to feel at home inthe congregation?

MARCH 2021 25

helped to convince us that we wanted to serve Jeho-vah and that a wonderful life awaited us.” Once theBible student qualifies as a publisher, you can also in-vite him to accompany you in the ministry. Diego, apublisher from Brazil, says: “Many brothers invitedme to go out in the ministry. This was the best wayto get to know them well. As I did, I learned a lot,and I felt closer to Jehovah and Jesus.”

HOW CAN ELDERS HELP?17 Make time for Bible students. Elders, your loving

interest can help students to progress to baptism.Could you regularly talk to Bible students at themeetings? They will sense your interest if you re-member their name, especially when they start com-menting. Could you rearrange your schedule everyso often to accompany a publisher when he studiesthe Bible with someone? You may have a bigger im-pact on the student than you can imagine. A pioneernamed Jackie, who lives in Nigeria, relates: “Manystudents are shocked to learn that the brother whoaccompanied me to their study is an elder. One Biblestudent said: ‘My pastor would never do that. He vis-its only the rich and only if they pay him!’” That stu-dent now attends meetings.

17. How can elders help Bible students?

26 THE WATCHTOWER

18 Train and encourage Bible teachers. Elders, youhave the weighty responsibility of helping publishersto be effective in their ministry, including their Biblestudy work. (Read Acts 20:28.) If someone is shyabout conducting a Bible study in your presence,offer to conduct the study. Jackie, quoted earlier, re-lates: “Elders regularly inquire about my Bible stu-dents. When I face challenges in conducting a Biblestudy, they offer helpful advice.” Elders can do agreat deal to encourage and to motivate the teachersto persevere. (1 Thess. 5:11) Jackie adds: “I like itwhen elders encourage me and tell me that they ap-preciate my hard work. Such words refresh me like aglass of cold water on a hot day.Their commendation

18. How can elders fulfill the responsibility entrusted to them as re-corded at Acts 20:28?

Elders, your warm interest can help students to progress(See paragraph 17)

boosts my confidence and increases the joy I getfrom the Bible study work.”—Prov. 25:25.

19 Even if we do not presently conduct a Biblestudy, we can still help someone to grow spiritually.Without taking over, we can with our well-preparedcomments support the teacher during a study ses-sion. We can befriend the students when they cometo the Kingdom Hall, and we can serve as good ex-amples for them. And elders can encourage the stu-dents by making time for them and the teachers bytraining and commending them. Really, what greaterjoy could we have than knowing that we played evena small part in helping someone come to love andserve our Father, Jehovah?

19. What joy can all of us have?

HOW CAN YOU HELP BIBLE STUDENTS TO PROGRESS TO BAPTISM . . .

˛ when you areinvited to sit inon a Bible study?

˛ when theybegin attendingmeetings?

˛ if you serve asan elder?

SONG 79Teach Them to Stand Firm

28

STUDYARTICLE 11

How to Gain StrengthFrom the Scriptures“God . . . supplies endurance.”—ROM. 15:5.

SONG 94Grateful for God’s Word

PREVIEWMany accounts in the Bible prove that Jehovah loves hisservants and will help them through any trial. This articlediscusses how you can do personal Bible study that willhelp you to benefit more from the accounts you read.

MARCH 2021 29

ARE you suffering through a difficult trial? Perhapssomeone in the congregation has hurt you. (Jas.3:2) Or maybe your workmates or schoolmates rid-icule you for serving Jehovah. (1 Pet. 4:3, 4) Orfamily members are possibly trying to stop youfrom attending meetings or from talking to othersabout your faith. (Matt. 10:35, 36) If a trial is es-pecially painful, you may feel like giving up. Butyou can be confident that no matter what challengeyou face, Jehovah will give you the wisdom to dealwith it and the strength to endure it.

2 In his Word, Jehovah included detailed de-scriptions of how imperfect individuals dealt withdifficult trials. Why? So that we can learn fromthem. That is what Jehovah moved the apostle Paulto write. (Read Romans 15:4.) Reading these ac-counts can bring us a measure of comfort andhope. However, to benefit, we need to do more thanjust read the Bible.We must allow the Scriptures tomold our thinking and to touch our hearts. Whatcan we do if we are looking for guidance on how todeal with a specific challenge? We can use this four-step method: (1) Pray, (2) Imagine, (3) Meditate,

1. What types of trials may Jehovah’s people face?2. According to Romans 15:4, what effect can reading God’s Wordhave on us?

30 THE WATCHTOWER

and (4) Apply. Let us discuss what is involved ineach of those steps.� Then we will use this methodof study to learn from incidents in the lives ofKing David and the apostle Paul.

3 (1) Pray. Before you start reading the Bible, askJehovah to help you to see how you can benefitfrom what you read. For example, if you are look-ing for counsel on how to deal with a problem, askJehovah to help you find principles in his Word thatcan guide you.—Phil. 4:6, 7; Jas. 1:5.

4 (2) Imagine. Jehovah has given us the amazingfaculty of imagination.To help you bring a Bible ac-count to life, try to imagine the scene and see your-self in the place of the key character. Try to see thethings he or she saw and to feel the emotions thatthe character might have felt.

5 (3) Meditate. Meditation means thinking care-fully about what you read and about how the infor-mation applies to you. It helps you to connect

� The method of study suggested here is just one option you can use.Other suggestions for studying the Bible can be found by consultingthe Research Guide for Jehovah’s Witnesses under the subject “The Bi-ble” and the subheading “Reading and Understanding the Bible.”

3. Before you start reading the Bible, what should you do, and why?4. What can help you to bring a Bible account to life?5. What is meditation, and how can you meditate?

MARCH 2021 31

thoughts and gain a deeper understanding of a sub-ject. Reading the Bible without meditation is likelooking at pieces of a jigsaw puzzle on a table with-out assembling them. Meditation is like puttingthose pieces together so that you can see the wholepicture. To help you meditate, you could ask andanswer such questions as these: ‘What did the keycharacter in the account do to help himself? Howdid Jehovah help him? How can I use the lessons Ihave learned to help me endure trials?’

6 (4) Apply. Jesus said that if we do not applywhat we learn, we are like a man who builds hishouse on sand. He works hard, but he is wasting hiseffort.Why? Because when a storm and flood hit hishouse, it will collapse. (Matt. 7:24-27) Similarly, ifwe pray, imagine, and meditate but we do not applywhat we learn, we will have wasted our effort.Whenour faith is tested by trials or persecution, it willnot be strong enough. On the other hand, when westudy and apply what we learn, we make better de-cisions, we gain more peace, and we develop stron-ger faith. (Isa. 48:17, 18) Using the four steps wehave just discussed, let us see what we can learnfrom an incident in the life of King David.

6. Why must we apply what we learn?

If we are looking for guidanceon how to deal with a specific challenge,what can we do?

1 PRAYBefore you start reading the Bible,ask Jehovah to help you to seehow you can benefit(See paragraph 3)

2 IMAGINETry to see yourself in theplace of the key characterin the Bible account(See paragraph 4)

3 MEDITATEThink carefully about whatyou read and about how theinformation applies to you(See paragraph 5)

4 APPLYUse what you learn in order tomake better decisions, to gain morepeace, and to strengthen your faith(See paragraph 6)

MARCH 2021 33

WHAT CAN YOU LEARNFROM KING DAVID?

7 Has a friend or a family member betrayed yourtrust? If so, you would benefit by reviewing the ac-count of King David’s son Absalom, who betrayedhis father and tried to steal the kingdom from him.—2 Sam. 15:5-14, 31; 18:6-14.

8 (1) Pray.With the account in mind, tell Jehovahhow you are feeling about the way you have beenmistreated. (Ps. 6:6-9) Be specific. Then ask Jeho-vah to help you see principles that can guide you asyou try to cope with this difficult challenge.

9 (2) Imagine. Think about the events in this ac-count, and imagine how King David was affected.David’s son Absalom works for years to make thepeople love him. (2 Sam. 15:7) When Absalom feelsthat the time is right, he sends spies throughout allof Israel to prepare the people to accept him astheir ruler. He even convinces one of David’s closefriends and advisers, Ahithophel, to join in the re-bellion. Absalom declares himself king, and then he

7. What Bible account will we now consider?8. What could you do to get Jehovah’s help?9. How would you summarize the events involving David and Absa-lom?

34 THE WATCHTOWER

tries to capture and kill David, who may have beenseriously ill at the time. (Ps. 41:1-9) David learns ofthe plot and escapes from Jerusalem. Eventually,Absalom’s army clashes with forces loyal to David.The rebel army loses, and David’s son Absalom iskilled.

10 Next, imagine how David must have felt as allof this was happening to him. He loved Absalomand trusted Ahithophel. Yet, both of these closecompanions betrayed him. They hurt him deeplyand even tried to kill him. David could have lostfaith in his other friends, suspecting that they toohad joined Absalom. He might have thought only ofhimself and have wanted to flee the country alone.Or he could just have given up in despair. But Da-vid did none of those things. Instead, he overcamethis difficult trial. Why was he able to do so?

11 (3) Meditate. What principles can you learnfrom the account? Answer the question, “What didDavid do to help himself?” David did not panic andmake hasty, unwise decisions. Neither did he pro-crastinate, seemingly paralyzed by fear. Instead,he prayed to Jehovah for help. He also asked his

10. How could King David have reacted?11. How did David respond to the crisis?

MARCH 2021 35

friends to help him. And he acted quickly to imple-ment the decisions he made. Although he was deep-ly hurt, David did not become cynical and bitter. Hecontinued to trust in Jehovah and to trust hisfriends.

12 How did Jehovah help David? By doing someresearch, you will learn that Jehovah gave Davidthe strength he needed to endure this trial. (Ps. 3:1-8; superscription) Jehovah blessed the decisionsDavid made. And he supported David’s loyal friendsas they fought to protect their king.

13 (4) Apply. Ask yourself, ‘How can I imitate Da-vid?’ You would need to act immediately to solvethe problem. Depending on the circumstances, youcould apply Jesus’ counsel recorded in Matthewchapter 18 either directly or in principle. (ReadMatthew 18:15-17.) But you should not make hastydecisions that are driven by emotion. You shouldpray for Jehovah to give you a calm heart andthe wisdom you need to deal with the matter. Donot lose faith in your friends. Instead, be willingto accept help that is offered. (Prov. 17:17) Most

12. What did Jehovah do to help David?13. How can you imitate David if another person seriously hurtsyou in some way? (Matthew 18:15-17)

36 THE WATCHTOWER

important, follow the advice Jehovah gives you inhis Word.—Prov. 3:5, 6.

WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM PAUL?14 Are you dealing with opposition from members

of your family? Or do you live in a country wherethe work of Jehovah’s people is severely restrictedor even banned? If so, you might be encouraged byreading 2 Timothy 1:12-16 and 4:6-11, 17-22.� Paulwrote this portion of Scripture while he was inprison.

15 (1) Pray. Before you read those passages, tellJehovah about your problem and how it makes youfeel. Be specific. Then ask Jehovah to help you dis-cern principles in the accounts about Paul’s trialsthat will help you to know how you should respondto the challenge you are facing.

16 (2) Imagine. Imagine yourself in Paul’s situa-tion. He is bound in chains in a prison in Rome. He

� Do not read these accounts during the congregation WatchtowerStudy.

14. What situations might cause you to focus on 2 Timothy 1:12-16;4:6-11, 17-22?15. What could you ask Jehovah for?16. How would you summarize Paul’s situation?

MARCH 2021 37

had been in prison before, but this time he is cer-tain that he will be executed. Some of his associateshave abandoned him, and he is physically exhaust-ed.—2 Tim. 1:15.

17 Paul could have focused on the past, thinkingthat if he had made different choices, he might nothave been arrested. He could have become bitterwith the men in the district of Asia who had aban-doned him, and he might have adopted a cynical at-titude toward his other friends. But Paul did not doany of those things. Why was he able to stay confi-dent and hopeful?

18 (3) Meditate. Answer the question, “How didPaul help himself?” Even with the threat of deathhanging over him, Paul did not lose sight of the bigissue—that of bringing glory to Jehovah. And hecontinued to think about how he could encour-age others. He relied on Jehovah through regularprayer. (2 Tim. 1:3) Rather than focus excessivelyon those who had abandoned him, he expresseddeep gratitude for the loving support of his friendswho loyally helped him in practical ways. In addi-tion, Paul continued to study God’s Word. (2 Tim.

17. How could Paul have reacted?18. How did Paul respond to the trial he faced?

38 THE WATCHTOWER

3:16, 17; 4:13) Most important, he had absoluteconfidence that Jehovah and Jesus loved him. Theyhad not abandoned him, and they would reward himfor his loyal service.

19 Jehovah had warned Paul that he would have toendure persecution for being a Christian. (Acts21:11-13) How did Jehovah help Paul? He answeredPaul’s prayers and over time gave him power.(2 Tim. 4:17) Paul was assured that he would re-ceive the reward that he had worked so hard togain. Jehovah also moved Paul’s loyal friends togive him practical help.

20 (4) Apply. Ask yourself, ‘How can I imitatePaul?’ Like Paul, we should expect that we will bepersecuted for our faith. (Mark 10:29, 30) To main-tain our integrity under trial, we need to rely on Je-hovah in prayer and maintain a good study routine.And we must always remember that one of the mostimportant things we can do is to bring glory to Je-hovah. We can be certain that Jehovah will neverabandon us and that there is nothing anyone can doto break his love for us.—Read Romans 8:38, 39;Heb. 13:5, 6.

19. How did Jehovah help Paul?20. With Romans 8:38, 39 in mind, how can you imitate Paul?

MARCH 2021 39

LEARN FROM OTHER BIBLE CHARACTERS21 Whatever our circumstances, we can gain

strength from Bible examples. For instance, Aya, apioneer in Japan, says that the story of Jonahhelped her to overcome her fear of public witness-ing. Hector, a youth in Indonesia whose parents donot serve Jehovah, is motivated by the example ofRuth to learn about Jehovah and serve him.

22 Where can you find Bible examples that willstrengthen you? Our videos and audio dramas andthe series “Imitate Their Faith” help bring Bibleevents to life.� Before you watch, listen to, orread these well-researched accounts, ask Jehovahto help you find specific points that you can apply.Imagine yourself in the place of the main charac-ter. Meditate on what these dear servants of Je-hovah did and how he helped them to overcomedifficulties. Then apply the lessons to your own sit-uation. Thank Jehovah for the help he is already

� See “Imitate Their Faith—Men and Women in the Bible” on jw.org. (Goto BIBLE TEACHINGS ˛ FAITH IN GOD.)

21. What helped Aya and Hector to overcome the challenges theyfaced?22. How can you get the most out of Bible dramas or the series “Im-itate Their Faith”?

giving you. And show that you appreciate the helpby looking for opportunities to encourage and sup-port others.

23 Life in this world controlled by Satan can behard to deal with, even overwhelming at times.(2 Tim. 3:1) But we do not need to be anxious orafraid. Jehovah knows what we are going through.When we fall, he promises to hold on to us with hisstrong right hand. (Read Isaiah 41:10, 13.) Withfull confidence in his support, we can gain strengthfrom the Scriptures and overcome any challenge.

23. According to Isaiah 41:10, 13, what does Jehovah promise todo for us?

HOW WOULDYOU ANSWER?

˛ What four-stepmethod of studycan help us tobenefit from Bibleexamples?

˛ What did youlearn from theexamples ofKing David andof the apostlePaul?

˛ What Biblecharacter wouldyou like to studyin more detail?

SONG 96God’s Own Book—A Treasure

41

STUDYARTICLE 12

Love Helps Usto Endure Hatred“These things I command you, that you love one another.If the world hates you, you know that it has hated mebefore it hated you.”—JOHN 15:17, 18.

SONG 129We Will Keep Enduring

PREVIEWIn this article, we will see how love for Jehovah, love forour fellow believers, and even love for our enemies helpus to endure the world’s hatred. We will also see whyJesus said that we can be happy when we are hated.

42 THE WATCHTOWER

JEHOVAH created us to love and to be loved. So whensomeone hates us, we feel hurt and perhaps evenafraid. For example, a sister named Georgina, wholives in Europe, says: “When I was 14, my mother hat-ed me for serving Jehovah. I felt rejected and begandoubting that I was a good person.”� A brother namedDanylo writes: “When soldiers hit me, insulted me,and threatened me because I was one of Jehovah’sWit-nesses, I felt frightened and humiliated.” Such hatredhurts, but it does not surprise us. Jesus foretold thatwe would be hated.—Read Matthew 24:9.

2 The world hates Jesus’ followers. Why? Becauselike Jesus, we are “no part of the world.” (John 15:17-19) As a result, while we respect human governments,we refuse to worship them or the emblems that repre-sent them.We give Jehovah our exclusive devotion.Weuphold God’s right to rule mankind—a right that Satanand his “offspring” vigorously challenge. (Gen. 3:1-5,15) We preach that God’s Kingdom is mankind’s onlyhope and that the Kingdom will soon crush all thosewho oppose it. (Dan. 2:44; Rev. 19:19-21) That mes-sage is good news to the meek but bad news to thewicked.—Ps. 37:10, 11.

� Names have been changed.

1. According to Matthew 24:9, why should we not be surprised ifthe world hates us?2-3. Why are Jesus’ followers hated?

MARCH 2021 43

3 We are also hated because we live by God’s righ-teous standards. These standards contrast sharplywith the world’s degraded morals. For example, manypeople now openly approve of grossly immoral prac-tices similar to the ones for which God destroyed Sod-om and Gomorrah! (Jude 7) Because we hold to theBible’s standards regarding such practices, many peo-ple ridicule us and call us intolerant.—1 Pet. 4:3, 4.

4 What can help us to endure when people hate usand insult us? We need to have strong faith that Je-hovah will help us. Like a shield, our faith can “extin-guish all the wicked one’s burning arrows.” (Eph. 6:16) But we need more than faith. We also need love.Why? Because love “does not become provoked.” Itbears and endures all hurtful things. (1 Cor. 13:4-7,13) Let us now see how love for Jehovah, love for ourfellow worshippers, and even love for our enemieshelp us to endure hatred.

LOVE FOR JEHOVAHHELPS US TO ENDURE HATRED

5 On the night before his enemies put him to death,Jesus said to his loyal followers: “I love the Father,[so] I am doing just as the Father has commandedme to do.” (John 14:31) Jesus’ love for Jehovah

4. What qualities strengthen us when people hate us?5. How did Jesus’ love for his Father strengthen him?

44 THE WATCHTOWER

strengthened him to face the trials that lay ahead.Our love for Jehovah can do the same for us.

6 Love for God has always helped Jehovah’s servantsto endure persecution. For instance, when the apostleswere commanded by the powerful Jewish supremecourt to stop preaching, love for God moved them to“obey God as ruler rather than men.” (Acts 5:29;1 John 5:3) Such unbreakable love also strengthensour brothers today, many of whom are standing firmagainst cruel and powerful governments. Instead ofbeing discouraged, we count it a privilege to endurethe world’s hatred.—Acts 5:41; read Romans 5:3-5.

7 Perhaps one of our biggest tests comes from mem-bers of our own family. When we begin to show inter-est in the truth, some family members may think thatwe have been misled. Others may think that we havelost our mind. (Compare Mark 3:21.) They may evenviolently oppose us. This negative reaction should notsurprise us. Jesus said: “A man’s enemies will bethose of his own household.” (Matt. 10:36) Of course,regardless of how our relatives view us, we refuse totreat them as our enemies. On the contrary, as ourlove for Jehovah grows, so does our love for people.(Matt. 22:37-39) But we will never compromise our

6. According to Romans 5:3-5, how do Jehovah’s servants feelabout enduring the world’s hatred?7. How should we react when family members oppose us?

MARCH 2021 45

standards by ignoring Bible laws and principles just toplease another human.

8 Georgina, quoted earlier, managed to stand firmdespite severe opposition from her mother. Georginaexplains: “My mother and I began studying the Bi-ble with the Witnesses. But six months later whenI wanted to attend meetings, my mother’s attitudechanged drastically. I discovered that she was in con-tact with apostates, and she used their argumentswhen she talked to me. She would also insult me, pullmy hair, choke me, and throw away my literature. Af-ter I turned 15, I got baptized. My mother tried to stopme from serving Jehovah by putting me in a home withother teens, some of whom took drugs and committedcrimes. Opposition is especially hard to deal with

8-9. What helped one sister to stand firm despite severe opposi-tion?

We may suffer fora time, but Jehovahwill always be at ourside to comfort andstrengthen us(See paragraphs 8-10)

46 THE WATCHTOWER

when it comes from someone who should love you andcare for you.”

9 How did Georgina cope? She says: “The day mymother turned against me, I had just finished readingthe entire Bible. I was now fully convinced that I hadfound the truth, and I felt very close to Jehovah. I of-ten prayed to him, and he heard me. When I was liv-ing in that home, a sister invited me to her house, andwe studied the Bible together. All the while, I wasstrengthened by the brothers and sisters at the King-dom Hall. They made me part of their families. I sawfirsthand that Jehovah is stronger than our opposers,no matter who they are.”

10 The apostle Paul wrote that nothing can “sepa-rate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus ourLord.” (Rom. 8:38, 39) Even though we may suffer fora time, Jehovah will always be at our side to com-fort and strengthen us. And as Georgina’s experienceshows, Jehovah also helps us by means of our pre-cious spiritual family.

LOVE FOR FELLOW WORSHIPPERSHELPS US TO ENDURE HATRED

11 On the night before he died, Jesus reminded his

10. What confidence can we have in Jehovah our God?11. How would the love Jesus described at John 15:12, 13 help hisdisciples? Give an example.

MARCH 2021 47

disciples to love one another. (Read John 15:12, 13.)He knew that self-sacrificing love would help them tostay united and to endure the world’s hatred. Consid-er the example of the congregation in Thessalonica.From the time it was formed, its members were per-secuted. Yet, the brothers and sisters there becameexamples of integrity and love. (1 Thess. 1:3, 6, 7)Paul encouraged them to continue showing love, even“in fuller measure.” (1 Thess. 4:9, 10) Love wouldmove them to console the depressed and support theweak. (1 Thess. 5:14) They followed Paul’s instruc-tions, for in his second letter, written about a year lat-er, Paul could say to them: “The love of each andevery one of you is increasing toward one another.”(2 Thess. 1:3-5) Their love helped them to endurehardship and persecution.

12 Consider the experience of Danylo, mentionedearlier, and his wife. When their town became en-gulfed in war, they continued to attend the meetings,to preach as best they could, and to share what foodthey had with their brothers and sisters. Then oneday, Danylo was approached by armed soldiers. “Theydemanded that I renounce my faith,” says Danylo.“When I refused, they beat me and pretended toshoot me, firing over my head. Before leaving, they

12. During a time of war, how did brothers and sisters in one coun-try show love for one another?

48 THE WATCHTOWER

threatened to return to rape my wife. But our broth-ers quickly put us on a train to another town. I willnever forget the love of those dear brothers. Andwhen we arrived at the new town, the local brothersgave us food and helped me to find a job and a home!As a result, we were able to provide refuge for otherWitnesses fleeing the war zone.” Such experiencesshow that Christian love can help us to endure hatred.

LOVE FOR OUR ENEMIESHELPS US TO ENDURE HATRED

13 Jesus told his followers to love their enemies.(Matt. 5:44, 45) Is that easy to do? By no means! Butit is possible with the help of God’s holy spirit. Thefruitage of God’s spirit includes love as well as pa-tience, kindness, mildness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:22, 23) These qualities help us to endure hatred.Many opposers have had a change of heart because abelieving husband, wife, child, or neighbor displayedthose godly qualities. Many opposers have even be-come our dear brothers and sisters. So if you find ithard to love those who hate you just because you areserving Jehovah, pray for holy spirit. (Luke 11:13)And be fully convinced that God’s way is always best.—Prov. 3:5-7.

13. How does holy spirit help us to endure in our service to Jeho-vah even when people hate us?

14 Consider the example of Yasmeen, who lives inthe Middle East. When she became one of Jehovah’sWitnesses, her husband thought she had been de-ceived, and he tried to stop her from serving God. Heinsulted her and urged relatives as well as a clergymanand a sorcerer to threaten her and accuse her ofbreaking up her family. Her husband even shoutedabuses at the brothers during a congregation meeting!Yasmeen often wept because she was treated so un-kindly.

15 At the Kingdom Hall, Yasmeen’s spiritual familycomforted and strengthened her. The elders urgedher to apply the words found at Romans 12:17-21.(Read.) “It was hard,” says Yasmeen. “But I asked Je-hovah to help me, and I did my best to apply what the

14-15. How did Romans 12:17-21 helpYasmeen to show love to herhusband despite his bitter opposition?

Christian lovecan help us toendure hatred(See paragraph 12)

Bible says. So when my husband spitefully threw dirtin the kitchen, I cleaned it up.When he insulted me, Ireplied mildly. And when he was sick, I cared for him.”

16 Yasmeen was rewarded for showing love to herhusband. She says: “My husband started to trust memore because he knew I would always tell the truth.He began to listen to me respectfully when we talkedabout religion, and he agreed to make peace at home.Now he tells me to enjoy the congregation meetings.Our family life has improved dramatically, and we en-joy genuine tranquility. My hope is that my husbandwill open his heart to the truth and join me in servingJehovah.”

17 Yasmeen’s example shows that love “bears allthings, . . . hopes all things, endures all things.”

16-17. What do you learn from Yasmeen’s example?

When we showlove for ourpersecutors,we may softentheir heart(See paragraphs 16-17)

50 THE WATCHTOWER

MARCH 2021 51

(1 Cor. 13:4, 7) Hatred can be powerful and hurtful,but love is much stronger. It wins hearts. And itbrings joy to Jehovah’s heart. But even if opposerscontinue to hate us, we can still be happy. How so?

HAPPY WHEN HATED18 Jesus said: “Happy are you whenever men hate

you.” (Luke 6:22) We do not choose to be hated. Weare not trying to be martyrs. So why can we be happywhen hated? Consider three reasons. First, when weendure, we gain God’s approval. (1 Pet. 4:13, 14)Second, our faith is refined and becomes stronger.(1 Pet. 1:7) And third, we will receive a priceless re-ward—everlasting life.—Rom. 2:6, 7.

19 Soon after Jesus’ resurrection, the apostles expe-rienced the happiness he spoke about. After beingflogged and ordered to stop preaching, they rejoiced.Why? “Because they had been counted worthy to bedishonored in behalf of [Jesus’] name.” (Acts 5:40-42) They loved their Master more than they fearedthe hatred of their enemies. And they showed theirlove by proclaiming the good news “without letup.”Many of our brothers today continue to serve faith-fully despite difficulties. They know that Jehovah will

18. Why can we be happy when hated?19. Why were the apostles happy after being flogged?

not forget their work and their love for his name.—Heb. 6:10.

20 The world will hate us for as long as this sys-tem lasts. (John 15:19) But we do not need to befearful. As we will see in the next article, Jehovah“will strengthen . . . and protect” his loyal ones.(2 Thess. 3:3) So let us continue to love Jehovah, loveour brothers and sisters, and love even our enemies.When we follow this counsel, we will remain unitedand spiritually strong, we will bring honor to Jeho-vah, and we will prove that love is far more powerfulthan hate.

20. What will we consider in the following article?

�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

PICTURE DESCRIPTIONS Page 49: After soldiers threatened Danylo,the brothers helped him and his wife to relocate, and they were warmlyreceived. Page 50: Yasmeen’s husband opposed her, but the elders gaveher good advice. She proved to be a good wife and cared for himwhenhe was sick.

TO ENDURE HATRED, WHY MUST WE . . .

˛ love Jehovah? ˛ love our brothersand sisters?

˛ love our enemies?

SONG 106Cultivating the Quality of Love

53

STUDYARTICLE 13

Jehovah Will ProtectYou—How?“The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protectyou from the wicked one.”—2 THESS. 3:3.

SONG 124Ever Loyal

PREVIEWThe Bible promises that Jehovah will strengthen usand protect us not only from spiritual harm but fromany other lasting harm. In this article, we will answer thefollowing questions: Why do we need to be protected?How does Jehovah protect us? And what must we do tobenefit from the help Jehovah offers?

54 THE WATCHTOWER

ON THE last night of his life as a man, Jesuswas thinking about the challenges that his discipleswould face. Moved by his love for his friends, Je-sus asked his Father to “watch over them becauseof the wicked one.” (John 17:14, 15) Jesus knewthat after he returned to heaven, Satan the Dev-il would continue to wage war against any whowanted to serve Jehovah. Clearly, Jehovah’s peoplewould need protection.

2 Jehovah answered Jesus’ prayer because of Hislove for His Son. If we try our best to please Jeho-vah, he will love us too, and he will pay attention toour prayers for help and protection. As a con-cerned family Head, Jehovah will continue to carelovingly for his children. His very name, or reputa-tion, is at stake!

3 We need Jehovah’s protection as never before.Satan has been cast out of heaven, “having greatanger.” (Rev. 12:12) He has managed to convincesome who persecute us that they are offering “a sa-cred service to God.” (John 16:2) Others, who donot believe in God, persecute us because we do not

1. Why did Jesus ask Jehovah to watch over his disciples?2. How can we be sure that Jehovah will answer our prayers?3. Why do we need Jehovah’s protection today?

MARCH 2021 55

fit into this world’s mold.Whatever the case, we canbe confident. Why? Because God’s Word says: “TheLord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and pro-tect you from the wicked one.” (2 Thess. 3:3) Howdoes Jehovah protect us? Let us discuss two ways.

JEHOVAH PROVIDES A SUIT OF ARMOR4 Jehovah has made available to us a suit of ar-

mor that can protect us from Satan’s attacks. (ReadEphesians 6:13-17.) This spiritual armor is strongand effective! But it will protect us only if we puton each piece of the armor—and keep it on. Whatdoes each piece represent? Let us take a closerlook.

5 The belt of truth represents the truths found inGod’s Word, the Bible.Why must we wear this belt?Because Satan is “the father of the lie.” (John 8:44)He has had thousands of years to practice his lyingand has misled “the entire inhabited earth”! (Rev.12:9) But the truths contained in the Bible protectus from being deceived. How do we wear this sym-bolic belt? We do so by learning the truth about Je-hovah, by worshipping him “with spirit and truth,”

4. According to Ephesians 6:13-17, what has Jehovah made avail-able to protect us?5. What is the belt of truth, and why must we wear it?

56 THE WATCHTOWER

and by conducting ourselves honestly in all things.—John 4:24; Eph. 4:25; Heb. 13:18.

6 The breastplate of righteousness represents Je-hovah’s righteous standards.Why must we wear thebreastplate? Just as a breastplate protects the lit-eral heart of a soldier from being pierced, thebreastplate of righteousness protects our figurativeheart, or inner person, from the corrupting in-fluences of this world. (Prov. 4:23) Jehovah ex-pects us to love and serve him with our wholeheart. (Matt. 22:36, 37) So Satan tries to divide ourheart by getting us to love the things this world of-fers—things that Jehovah hates. (Jas. 4:4; 1 John2:15, 16) And if that does not work, he will try tobully us into going against Jehovah’s standards.

7 We wear the breastplate of righteousness by ac-cepting Jehovah’s standards of right and wrong andby living according to those standards. (Ps. 97:10)Some may feel that Jehovah’s standards are restric-tive. But if we were to stop applying Bible principlesin our lives, we would be like a soldier who removedhis breastplate in the middle of a battle because hethought it was too heavy. How foolish that would

6. What is the breastplate of righteousness, and why must wewear it?7. How do we wear the breastplate of righteousness?

MARCH 2021 57

be! To those who love Jehovah, his commandmentsare, “not burdensome,” but lifesaving.—1 John 5:3.

8 Paul also urges us to have our feet shod in readi-ness to declare the good news of peace. In otherwords, we should always be ready to preach theKingdom good news. When we share the Bible’smessage with others, our own faith is strengthened.It is truly encouraging to see how Jehovah’s peoplearound the earth are looking for opportunities todeclare the good news—when at work, at school, inbusiness territory and when preaching from houseto house, shopping, visiting unbelieving relatives,talking to casual acquaintances, and even whenconfined at home for a time. If we were to give into fear and stop preaching, we would be like a sol-dier who removed his sandals during the battle; hisfeet would easily get injured. As a result, he wouldbe more vulnerable to attack, and he would not beable to follow the orders of his commander.

9 The large shield of faith represents the faith wehave in Jehovah. We trust that he will fulfill all hispromises. That faith will help us “to extinguish allthe wicked one’s burning arrows.” Why do we need

8. What does it mean to have our feet shod in readiness to declarethe good news?9. Why do we need to carry the large shield of faith?

58 THE WATCHTOWER

to carry this large shield? Because it protects usfrom being swayed by the teachings of apostates orfrom being intimidated by the snide remarks of cyn-ics. Without faith, we will not have the strength toresist when others try to persuade us to ignore Je-hovah’s standards. On the other hand, each time westand up for our faith at work or at school, we are

The Armor—What Is It?

Belt:The truthsfound inGod’s Word

Breastplate:Jehovah’srighteousstandards

Footwear:Readinessto preach thegood news

Shield:The faithwe have inJehovah andin his promises

Helmet:The hope ofeverlastinglife

Sword:God’s Word,the Bible

MARCH 2021 59

carrying our shield. (1 Pet. 3:15) Each time we turndown a better-paying job that would interfere withour routine of worship, we are carrying our shield.(Heb. 13:5, 6) And each time we serve Jehovah de-spite opposition, we are being protected by ourshield.—1 Thess. 2:2.

10 The helmet of salvation is the hope Jehovahgives us—the hope that he will save us from deathand will reward all those who do his will. (1 Thess.5:8; 1 Tim. 4:10; Titus 1:1, 2) Just as a literal hel-met protects a soldier’s head, the hope of salvationprotects our thinking ability. In what way? Thathope keeps us focused on God’s promises and helpsus to see problems in the right perspective. How dowe wear this helmet? We do so by keeping ourthinking in harmony with God’s thoughts. For ex-ample, we place our hope, not on uncertain riches,but on God.—Ps. 26:2; 104:34; 1 Tim. 6:17.

11 The sword of the spirit is God’s Word, the Bible.That sword has the power to cut through decep-tion of all kinds and to liberate people from beingenslaved to false teachings and harmful habits.(2 Cor. 10:4, 5; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Heb. 4:12) We learn

10. What is the helmet of salvation, and why must we wear it?11. What is the sword of the spirit, and why do we need to use it?

60 THE WATCHTOWER

to use that sword properly through personal studyand through the training we receive from God’s or-ganization. (2 Tim. 2:15) In addition to the suit ofarmor, Jehovah gives us another powerful form ofprotection. What is it?

WE DO NOT HAVE TO FIGHT ALONE12 An experienced soldier knows that he cannot

successfully fight a massive army on his own; heneeds the help of his fellow soldiers. Similarly, wecannot successfully resist Satan and his followerson our own; we need the support of our brothersand sisters. Jehovah has provided us with a world-wide “association of brothers” who are there tohelp us.—1 Pet. 2:17.

13 One way we receive support is by attending ourmeetings. (Read Hebrews 10:24, 25.) When we feeldiscouraged—as we all do at times—meetings canlift our spirits. We are encouraged by the heartfeltcomments given by our brothers and sisters. TheBible-based talks and demonstrations that they pre-sent strengthen our determination to serve Jeho-vah. And our upbuilding conversations before and

12. What else do we need, and why?13. According to Hebrews 10:24, 25, what benefits come from at-tending our meetings?

MARCH 2021 61

after the meeting encourage us. (1 Thess. 5:14) Inaddition, our meetings give us the opportunity tohave the joy that comes from helping others. (Acts20:35; Rom. 1:11, 12) Our meetings help us in oth-er ways too. They improve our battle skills, so tospeak, by equipping us for the ministry. For exam-ple, we learn to use the tools in our Teaching Tool-box effectively. So prepare well for congregationmeetings. During the meeting, listen carefully. Af-ter the meeting, apply the training you received. Bydoing such things, you will become “a fine soldierof Christ Jesus.”—2 Tim. 2:3.

14 We also have the support of myriads of power-ful angels.Think of what just one angel can do! (Isa.37:36) Now consider what a mighty army of angelswould be able to accomplish. No man or demon isequal to Jehovah’s powerful fighting force. It hasbeen said that one faithful Witness plus Jehovahequals the majority. (Judg. 6:16) How true that is!Keep those thoughts in mind when you feel intimi-dated by something a workmate, a schoolmate, oran unbelieving relative says or does. Remember,you are not alone in this fight.You are following Je-hovah’s direction.

14. What other help do we have available to us?

62 THE WATCHTOWER

JEHOVAH WILL CONTINUETO PROTECT US

15 The world under Satan’s control has many rea-sons to hate us. We remain strictly neutral politi-cally and do not take up arms. We proclaim God’sname, promote his Kingdom as the only hope forpeace, and uphold his righteous standards. We ex-pose the world’s ruler as a monstrous liar and mur-derer. (John 8:44) And we announce the imminentdestruction of Satan’s world. Yet, we will never besilenced by Satan and his followers. On the con-trary, we will keep praising Jehovah, using everymeans at our disposal to do so! As powerful as Sa-tan is, he has not been able to prevent the Kingdommessage from reaching people around the globe.Only Jehovah’s protection can account for that.—Read Isaiah 54:15, 17.

16 What lies ahead? During the great tribulation,Jehovah will save us in two amazing ways. First, hewill save his loyal servants during the time when hecauses the kings of the earth to destroy Babylon theGreat, the empire of false religion. (Rev. 17:16-18;18:2, 4) Then, he will save his people when he an-

15. According to Isaiah 54:15, 17, why will God’s people never be si-lenced?16. How will Jehovah save his people during the great tribulation?

nihilates the remaining elements of Satan’s world atArmageddon.—Rev. 7:9, 10; 16:14, 16.

17 When we remain close to Jehovah, Satan cando us no lasting harm. In fact, he is the one who willsuffer permanent harm. (Rom. 16:20) So put on thecomplete suit of armor—and leave it on! Do not tryto fight the battle on your own. Support your broth-ers and sisters. And follow Jehovah’s direction. Ifyou do, you can be confident that your loving heav-enly Father will strengthen you and protect you.—Isa. 41:10.

17. How do we benefit from remaining close to Jehovah?

HOW WOULDYOU ANSWER?

˛ What is eachpiece in the suitof armor? (See thebox “The Armor—What Is It?”)

˛ How do weshow that weare wearing eachpiece of armor?

˛ What otherprotectionhas Jehovahgiven us?

SONG 149A Victory Song

wlp

21

.03

-E2

01

12

6

The Watchtower (ISSN 0043-1087) March 2021 is published by Watch-

tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.; Harold L. Corkern, Pres-

ident; Mark L. Questell, Secretary-Treasurer; 1000 Red Mills Road, Wallkill,

NY 12589-3299, and by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada,

PO Box 4100, Georgetown, ON L7G 4Y4. ˘ 2020WatchTower Bible and Tract

Society of Pennsylvania. Printed in Canada.

34567˙March 2021

Vol. 142, No. 4 ENGLISH

This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwideBible educational work supported by voluntary donations. To makea donation, please visit donate.jw.org.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from themodern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.

COVER PICTURE:David was responsible and reliable when caring for his father’s flock, evenprotecting the sheep from an attacking bear (See study article 9, paragraph 4)

�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Study Article 9: May 3-9 2Young Men—How Can You Gain the Trust of Others?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Study Article 10: May 10-16 15As a Congregation, Help Bible Studentsto Progress to Baptism�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Study Article 11: May 17-23 28How to Gain Strength From the Scriptures�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Study Article 12: May 24-30 41Love Helps Us to Endure Hatred�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Study Article 13: May 31–June 6 53Jehovah Will Protect You—How?

Visit the jw.org website,or scan code

s