25/05/2026
“The Engrafted word “
An extract from Sunday Service preaching by Pastor Emmanuel Ajose.
Sermon Title: Behold and Become
Text: 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."
Introduction: What You Look At Changes You.
Ever noticed how kids start talking and acting like their parents? Or how you start using slang after spending time with a certain group?
There’s a law in the spirit and in the natural: we become like what we behold.
The problem today isn’t that people aren’t trying to change. It’s that they’re trying to change by looking at themselves, their failures, Instagram, the news, and their fears.
But the Bible gives us a different formula in
2 Corinthians 3:18. It’s not “strive and become.”
It’s “behold and become.”
This morning we’re going to see 3 things:
What it means to behold
Why beholding changes you
How to keep beholding until you become
Beholding Means Fixing Your Gaze on Jesus
2 Corinthians 3:18 says “beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord.”
“Beholding” in Greek is katoptrizō - it means to reflect, to gaze intently, to contemplate. This isn’t a quick glance. It’s sustained looking.
What are we looking at? “The glory of the Lord.” In the Old Testament, Moses asked God “Show me Your glory.” God replied, “I will make all My goodness pass before you” [Exodus 33:18-19].
In the New Testament, the glory of God is revealed in Jesus.
John 1:14: “We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Hebrews 1:3: “He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being.”
So to behold is to fix your attention on Jesus through:
The Word: Luke 24:27 says Jesus opened the Scriptures and they burned within them. The Bible is a mirror that shows you Jesus.
Worship: When you worship, you’re fixing your eyes on who He is.
Prayer: Sitting in His presence and letting Him speak.
Illustration: Peter walked on water as long as he looked at Jesus. The moment he looked at the wind and waves, he sank [Matthew 14:29-30]. It’s not that the storm changed. His focus changed.
Application: What’s getting most of your attention right now? Your problems, your phone, your past? If you want to change, you have to change your focus first.
Warning: If you stop beholding, you stop becoming. That’s why backsliding isn’t usually one big sin. It’s slowly shifting your gaze away from Jesus to something else.
Prayer:
Lord, we turn our faces to You now. Remove every veil. Let us behold Your glory. Spirit of God, transform us from glory to glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Join me online next Sunday for the conclusion of the message on Facebook or Pastor Emmanuel Ajose ministries
( The Engrafted Word ) or subscribe to the church YouTube page @ Hour of Harvest Ministry.
It’s your year of the shining light.
Shalom.
Emmanuel Ajose
Hour of Harvest Ministry
Senior Pastor.