Brilliant Perspectives

Legalism depicts God as distant, harsh, joyless, and uninvolved in our lives in any meaningful way. It tells us that He doesn’t talk to us about our future. He doesn’t heal anymore. The most we can hope for is going to church and paying our tithes. But the good news is that Jesus has become our guarantee of a better covenant.

As always, thanks for listening!

Join us September 22-24, 2023!

God is determined to free us from legalism and to empower us to understand the fullness of freedom that belongs to us in Christ. The heart of God is to see us unbound, completely free, and able to walk with Him without being subject to any rules and regulations created by man.

Key Scriptures:

+ Romans 13:8-10. Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law. For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.

+ Hebrews 6:13. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

+ 1 Peter 2:9. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light

The Joy of Simplicity is a prophetic word to you regarding how to live refreshed and renewed in the Lord. This word is about freedom. Freedom when the old has passed and everything has become new. Freedom to leave any negatives behind in yesterday and look forward to today in love, delight, and patience.

Negativity can quickly become an obstacle that prevents us from seeing the goodness of God that’s always present. If negativity has taken space in your life, today is the day to break the cycle and step into a FRESH encounter with the heart of God toward you.

Key Scriptures:

+ Romans 8:5-7. For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so...

+ Ephesians 4:29. Let no corrupt talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear...

+ Lamentations 3:21-24. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

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Join us September 22-24, 2023!

The people that we find most challenging are often the perfect catalyst in our transformation into the image of Christ. There is always a place of acceptance and safety in God’s heart, and when His heart overwhelms our own, we dominate the enemy and open tough people up to kindness.

Key Scriptures:

+ 1 John 4:19. We love because he first loved us.

+ 1 Peter 5:7. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

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Join us September 22-24, 2023

How does God walk with us when negative emotions threaten to overwhelm and take charge? How are our emotions being made in His image and what does that process look like? The antidote to negative feelings is not to banish emotion from our spiritual development, but to discover the emotion of God that He wants us to experience instead.

Key Scriptures:

+ John 15:11. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

+ Proverbs 18:10. The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

What does it look like to walk through difficult circumstances as a new creation in Christ? Join us on today’s episode as special guest Dionne van Zyl shares all about the KEYS to a lifestyle of overcoming.

Key Scriptures:

+ John 16:33. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

+ John 15:11. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

Warfare requires you to know who you are in the Kingdom at all times, and to have the confidence not to compromise your oneness in Christ. A "good fight" is when we align ourselves with God's intentions and understand the enemy's tactics.

Key Scriptures:

+ 1 Timothy 6:12. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

+ 1 Corinthians 2:9-10. But just as it is written: “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the human heart, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

2 Chronicles 20:15. And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat: This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.

In the Kingdom, it's not enough to get victory. We are learning to be overcomers and more-than-conquerors through Him who loves us. Today, we are setting the scene for battle by making war on negativity.

Key Scriptures:

+ Romans 8:6-14. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace…

+ Colossians 3:1. Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Instead of panic in battle, what if God wants you to be under the wonderful pressure of peace? We are unashamed triumphalists who have an expectation of fighting and winning with Christ, because victory is a gift from the King.

Key Scriptures:

+ 2 Corinthians 2:14. But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us reveals the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in every place.

+ 1 Timothy 6:12. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

When we step into partnership with Jesus and the Holy Spirit in prayer, our language receives an upgrade. It becomes more defined and targeted as we develop an expectation of being welcomed into their conversation. Expectation grows within us as God’s presence becomes more real to us.

Key Scriptures:

+ John 11:41-42. So they removed the stone. And Jesus lifted His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”

In Christ, we live in the same realm of goodness and favor that Jesus always enjoys with the Father. When we move in expectation of Jesus being ever-present within us, we step into a beautiful new lens, mindset, and language in prayer.

Key Scriptures:

+ Deuteronomy 31:8. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.

+ Jeremiah 29:11. 'For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

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Additional Resources:

Prayer is one of the great benefits of life as a New Creation in Christ. In today’s episode, we hope you are inspired to step into this joyful, relational, and compelling life of prayer.

Key Scriptures:

+ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

+ Colossians 1:12. giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Additional Resources:

The best prayer team already lives inside you. Instead of praying panicked prayers based on fear, we have everything we need to pray with God from a place of peace, stillness, and confident joy.

+ Hebrews 7:25. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

+ Romans 8:26. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Additional Resources:

Prayer often becomes one of the disciplines of Christianity instead of being one of its greatest delights. But what if prayer isn’t about trying to find an answer? What if it’s about praying with THE answer? In today’s episode, we’ll discover that our inheritance in Christ is always our starting place for prayer.

Key Scriptures:

+ Colossians 1:12. Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

+ Romans 8:27. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Additional Resources:

The baseline for all promises is this: “I will never leave you or forsake you.” In God’s presence, you are free to believe what He tells you.

Key Scriptures:

+ Romans 4:18. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”

+ Proverbs 3:4-5. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

While the enemy attempts to divert our attention onto our circumstances, God places promises and provisions next to every problem we encounter. God gives us promises because they are relational, not circumstantial, and our trust in Him is always required.

Key Scriptures:

• Matthew 11:28. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

  
  

• Exodus 14:15-16. The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.

  
  

As always, thanks for listening!

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P.S. DID YOU HEAR THE BIG NEWS?

You’re invited to join Graham Cooke and Team Brilliant as we gather to equip and release Kingdom Activators into their communities!

What if every single circumstance of life is an opportunity to discover more of God’s provision and inheritance for you? When you know that He has already gone before your circumstances, you can rest in a greater sense of hope, faith, and confident expectation.

When life looks different than we expected, our real battle is with hope. But we can move forward with confident assurance in God’s promises no matter what is occurring … because He has situated us in the One place that guarantees joyful expectation.

Key Scriptures:

+ Romans 15:13 — May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

+ Thessalonians 2:16-17 — Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

As always, thanks for listening!

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P.S. DID YOU HEAR THE BIG NEWS?

You’re invited to join Graham Cooke and Team Brilliant as we gather to equip and release Kingdom Activators into their communities!

Parenting is a skill born out of love, passion, and intelligent design. Children need a path to follow and a lifelong guide who understands how life really works. Whether you are currently a parent or desire to become one, today’s BRILLIANT LIFE guest will help you discover the beauty of partnering with the Holy Spirit to parent from a Kingdom perspective.

Key Scriptures:

+ 1 John 4:17. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

+ John 16:13-15. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth … He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

The Holy Spirit is not elusive, easily offended, or inconstant in His commitment to your growth. He knows you completely and desires to be your close friend. Join us on today's episode as Graham shares three key truths to help UNLOCK a life of sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

Key Scriptures:

+ Romans 8:26. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

+ 1 Corinthians 6:19. Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God and that you are not your own? You have been bought with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body.

+ John 16:13-15. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth … He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

Times of quiet renewing are not about the absence of activity. When God guides us out of a fast flow and into a slower ebb, it is a time where His beauty can transform our fellowship and enlarge our hearts.

Key Scriptures:

+ Leviticus 26:34-35. Then the land shall rest and enjoy its sabbaths. As long as it lies desolate it shall have rest, the rest that it did not have on your Sabbaths when you were dwelling in it.

+ Ephesians 3:17-18. So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height …

Burnout and weariness are often rooted in a disconnect from God’s empowering presence. But grace is a gift from God and a shelter from condemnation. Our life in Christ is always based on abiding, and God’s love for Jesus is our starting point for grace.

Key Scriptures:

+ Ephesians 2:8. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.

+ James 1:17. Every good thing and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

+ John 15:9. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.

All of our learning takes place within the safety of our relationship with God. When we realize that His friendship is completely free from guilt and shame, our hearts become settled. We can finally believe and receive the fullness of His love, as we become ever more aware of His nature within us.

Key Scriptures:

+Psalm 34:5. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.

+ 2 Peter 1:3. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to  his own glory and excellence

+ Romans 6:11-14. So you too, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus … For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under the Law but under grace.

God isn’t seeing the old you when He looks at you, because He knows that Jesus already dealt with that on the cross. This means that God is no longer dealing with your behavior. Instead, He’s focused on developing your new identity in Jesus.

Key Scriptures:

+ Acts 4:13. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

+ Colossians 3:3. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

+ John 16:13-15. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.

God is not a user, He’s a lover. But when we are only living to serve Him, we find it hard to enjoy Him. God has given us the greatest possible gift by giving us our freedom in Christ. He initiated our freedom, and a life of relational devotion is our continual response to that gift.

Key Scriptures:

+ Genesis 1:26. Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.

+ Colossians 3:3. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

We are joined on today’s podcast by BRILLIANT LIFE coaches, Theresa Cooke and Jenny Taylor! In this extended interview, we’ll be exploring:

+ why boundaries and behavior modification are not setting you FREE…

+ why shame and guilt are just INDICATORS of an upgrade that’s already available…

+ how the cross created an ENTIRELY NEW starting place for you with God…

+ and how you can EXPERIENCE the same love the Father has for Jesus…

You don’t have to allow your circumstances to challenge God’s goodness. You can expect His goodness in every situation … and use it to challenge your circumstances instead.

Key Scriptures:

+ Romans 8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

+ 1 Thessalonians 5:15. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

You are not defined by what other people do to you. You can only be defined by who God is for you. To walk in the Spirit is to be careful to maintain acts of goodness in our own lifestyle. It’s not an option. It’s the only viable expression of the Kingdom.

Key Scriptures:

+ Luke 6:27. “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.”

It was the relationship between God and Moses that first gave us the revelation that glory and goodness are bound together in the heart of God. An expectation of His goodness is the hallmark of every disciple, because goodness is present in all that He does. What would it look like for you to encounter the incomparable goodness of God?

Key Scripture:

+ Exodus 33:18-19. Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you…

Every day, you should feel overwhelmed. The real question is: What are we going to be overwhelmed by? We can either be overwhelmed by shame, guilt, powerlessness (and so on) … or we can be overwhelmed by the goodness of God.

Key Scriptures:

+ Psalm 23:6 - “Surely goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life.”

+ Psalm 27:13 - “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”

We have a God who knows our future and tells us how we can align ourselves with Him to create a pathway from here to there. The seeds of your destiny are already present, and the key to your future is investing today.

Key Scriptures:

+ Jeremiah 29:11. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

+ Luke 6:38. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For with the standard of measurement you use when you do good to others, it will be measured to you in return.

God sees our destiny and speaks identity into us in the present. He doesn’t just pronounce it … He wants us to perceive it too. The outcome that He sees propels our present learning, and accelerated growth occurs when we walk with Him to create a pathway from now to then.

Key Scripture:

+ Exodus 7:1. And the LORD said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet..."

In the Kingdom, God gives us everything upfront ... then He teaches us how to live in it. Everything is about possibilities, and all prophecy is relating to a God who redeems time. The faster we learn to respond to His Spirit, the quicker we accelerate toward our destiny.

Key Scriptures:

Isaiah 1:18. “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”

Jesus, our great intercessor, stands in the gap between our present identity and our future destiny. He prays into this gap because something in the present needs to rise up within us. Our relationship with the Lord is always prophetic, which means we can expect Him to speak about our future and reveal His wisdom for our development process.

Key Scriptures:

+ Genesis 18:16. The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

+ Numbers 13:30. But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”

You don’t have to endure your difficult circumstances. You can choose, instead, to be overwhelmed by the nature of God as you abide with Him. When we learn to stay and rest in Him first, we are renewed and restored in the waiting.

There’s no waiting for an invitation to the place of abiding with God. He is fully and completely present with us any day, any place, and any time. Abiding is the best and fastest way to be transformed because it is relational, not situational. Your place of abiding cannot be earned. It is a gift that’s always there!

Key Scriptures:

+ John 16:33. In the world there will be trouble. But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.

+ John 14:27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or fearful.

+ John 15:11. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

+2 Corinthians 3:18. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Patience takes us into partnership with God’s presence. It makes us only vulnerable to His goodness and allows us to enjoy all that He is for us right now, in this present moment. When connected with faith, patience resists the negatives and produces a confident expectation in the promises of God.

Key Scriptures:

+ James 1:2-4. Consider all circumstances as being joyful, knowing that the testing of faith produces patience that guarantees we will become fully mature and lacking in nothing.

+ James 5:7-8. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.

+ Hebrew 6:11-12: “Show the same diligence to enable you to realize the full assurance of hope to the end of your particular circumstances so that you will not be sluggish but become imitators of those who with faith and patience inherit the promise.”

God is happy to walk with us to His intended outcomes for our lives. Therefore, we can exercise patience with delight and faith, as it produces within us a mature confidence and an eager expectation of good.

Key Scriptures:

+ Romans 12:12. Rejoicing in hope (expectation), patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer.

+ Hebrew 6:11-12. Show the same diligence to enable you to realize the full assurance of hope to the end of your particular circumstances so that you will not be sluggish but become imitators of those who with faith and patience inherit the promise.

Patience creates a beautiful space where we can listen carefully and pray properly. When patience rises up within us, we push away the negatives as we experience the freedom to learn and grow in Christ.

Key Scriptures:

+ Psalm 40:1. I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined to me and heard my cry

Today, we are looking at one of Graham Cooke’s favorite questions: What does it mean to dream with God? We’re not talking about dreams of the night or daydreams; we’re exploring dreaming in the context of hope and imagination, where we have a glorious expectation of something wonderful occurring because of who God is.

Key Scriptures:

+1 John 4:19: We love Him because He first loved us.

+Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you, Declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

+Matthew 18:3: Unless you become like children, you won’t be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Every new phase of our journey requires that we upgrade our image of God. Stress, anxiety, fear, and negativity occur when there is a growing gap between how we see our situations and how we see the nature of God. Instead of focusing on getting rid of the old, we simply focus on the new; because the Truth always sets us free.

Key Scriptures:

+ Romans 15:13. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

+ John 1:14. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Every situation is primarily about who God wants to be for you, and each circumstance is an opportunity to encounter new levels of favor and faith in the Lord. If we believed our favor was always present, how would that change our relationship with the Lord?

Key Scriptures:

+Ephesians 3:17-19. [...] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

If we are in Christ, then so are all of our circumstances. Whatever the problem or difficulty that we face, we can first connect our life situation to the unchanging nature of God as we align ourselves with His purpose. Join us this week as Graham Cooke shares his process of learning how to walk with God, regardless of the circumstances.

Key Scriptures:

+Deuteronomy 31:6. The LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you and neither will He forsake you.

+Matthew 28:20. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Our "lens" is our view on life in the Spirit. It can either lead us into debilitating fear, or it can help us see the Perfect Love that is always present. When faced with a difficult situation, which lens do you want to see through? Join us in this week’s episode as we are asking the question, “If Jesus was looking out through my eyes, how would He see this situation?”

Key Scriptures:

+ Colossians 3:2. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

+ Psalm 25:4. Show me your ways, LORD; teach me your paths.

The world teaches us to live externally, being constantly discouraged by everything we are not. But the wisdom that governs our lives in Christ comes from above. This internal reality of Jesus turns our everyday circumstances into endless opportunities to cross over from the ways of the world into the ways of the Kingdom. Join us for today’s episode as we learn how wisdom in the Kingdom acts as a divine accelerant to our development in God.

Key Scripture:

+ Colossians 3:2. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

What might be true of our negative circumstances is not the truth of who we are in Jesus. Only the Truth can set us free and produce lasting transformation into the image of Christ. Join us in today’s episode as we discover how wisdom creates a new awareness of what is possible with God.

Key Scriptures:

+ Colossians 3:1-4. If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

+ 2 Corinthians 3:18. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

+ John 14. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. […] the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.