Go a little deeper
Pastor Keith Kirkpatrick introduces Journey Church's 2024 focus, "equip the Saints and unleash the Army," and explains that this theme needs more explanation than prior yearly focuses. Much of the message clarifies what a saint is: not someone made holy by personal strength, miracles, or death, but any person who believes in Jesus, set apart and made righteous because of him. He stresses that this identity is received and then grown into through discipleship, and that church roles exist to equip believers for ministry and maturity.
The second movement turns to the soldier image. Drawing on 2 Timothy 2, Pastor Keith describes believers strengthened by grace, entrusted with passing faith to others, willing to share in suffering, and refusing entanglement in civilian pursuits. He insists there is a real spiritual war—not against people, but against principalities of darkness—and that the devil is a created deceiver, thief, and adversary rather than an equal to Jesus. He contrasts keyboard warriors with prayer warriors and calls for intercession rather than online argument, praying over strongholds affecting Central Oregon.
The sermon closes with a call to submit to God and resist the devil, trusting in Jesus' authority and in God's protection promised through Isaiah. Pastor Keith presents sainthood and soldiership as simultaneous: being a saint comes first, but it leads to fighting a good fight, refusing victimhood, and pointing glory to God. He references Joshua's encounter with the commander of the Lord's army and urges believers to be on God's side, then ends with an invitation to believe in Jesus, hands raised, a prayer of surrender, and commissioning language about revival in Bend and Central Oregon.
Take this with you
Sainthood is received, not achieved
Pastor Keith defines a saint as any person who believes in Jesus, not someone recognized for miracles or withdrawn from society. Drawing on Hebrews 4, where Jesus is described as a high priest who sympathizes with weakness yet was without sin, and on 2 Corinthians 5, where God makes believers righteous in Christ, he presents holiness as God's gift. The Christian life then grows through discipleship—learning from Jesus and helping others learn—so identity comes before action.
Equipping happens together
Pastor Keith cites Ephesians 4 to show that church roles exist to equip saints for ministry and maturity, not merely to run programs. The goal he names is unity, stability against deceptive teaching, and fullness in Christ. He stresses that believers are better together and should keep growing rather than become a closed circle.
Soldiers are strengthened by grace
From 2 Timothy 2, the message describes soldiers strengthened by grace, entrusted with faithful teaching, willing to suffer, and free from entanglement in civilian pursuits. Pastor Keith reframes suffering as a badge of honor rather than evidence of abandonment and presents endurance as part of following Jesus.
The war is spiritual, not personal
Pastor Keith insists the real enemy is the devil, not people—not an ex, a boss, a coworker, or a neighbor. Grounding the call in 2 Corinthians 10, he says spiritual weapons have divine power to destroy strongholds, and he prefers prayer over online argument. He also points to Colossians 2, teaching that Jesus is supreme over Satan, a created adversary rather than an equal.
Resist the devil, trust Jesus' authority
The call, drawn from James 4, is submission to God and resistance to the devil, with the promise that he will flee. Victory rests on Jesus disarming the powers, as taught in Colossians 2, not on human strength. Pastor Keith encourages believers to refuse victimhood, give God glory, and pray for revival in Central Oregon.
The conversation,
in their words.
Transcript from the recording’s captions. Select any timestamp to hear the original audio.
every year Journey we have a focus a theme it's usually done in prayer where we look forward and say what does God need to do in the church what does he need to do through us last year's theme in 2023 was United everyone shout United United coming out of the pandemic it was clear we are a polarized Nation I'm not going to pretend that the church is not polarized as well there was some division so we just said we're going to focus on unity in the church this is God's design that we'd be United and it was so special last years we got to see God work through this Unity our Focus for 2024 which is going to be the theme for today's message is equip the Saints and unleash the Army that's our Focus this year equip the Saints and unleash the Army would you say that with me
equip the Saints and unleash the Army and I want to explain that today because of all the themes and focuses that we' had over the years this one probably needs the most explanation what do I mean by Saint what do I mean by Soldier I'm going to explain what that means because I believe today every one of us are called to be Saints and Soldiers simultaneously that when we understand what God says about who you are it will not only shape the church we will change the world so let's start with understanding what a saint is so that you don't get a misunderstanding of what a saint is the the Bible refers to a saint for regarding any person that believes in Jesus that's what a saint is
we see the word Saint used over 60 times in the New Testament and it's in direct reference to those who believe and follow Jesus in fact we see the word Saint used more for a Believer and follower of Jesus more than the word Christian so we see that God sees Believers in Jesus as Saints the word Saint means hly holy it means set apart now let us be really clear that a saint is not someone that's so holy they have to separate themselves from society we're not going to become a monastery out in the high desert somewhere it's not going to be just us four no more a saint is someone that's not only holy but they infiltrate the culture they bring God's kingdom to Earth Jesus
taught us that we don't have to wait to get to heaven to start experiencing heaven we can start praying it Lord let your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven and so we want to start with identifying that God sees us when we believe in him as Saints how can we be a saint it's not something we become on our own strength you're not born into the family and and become a saint a saint is not someone that does a miracle or is voted in because they've done something special a saint is not someone that's died and passed on a saint is a believer in Jesus because of of who he is and what he's done the book of Hebrews describes Jesus as a high priest meaning we get access to God through Jesus in Hebrews 4:15 for we do not have a high priest who's unable to sympathize with our weaknesses but we have one who
in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin Our God became a man the very God that created man actually became a man 100% God 100% man and Jesus did what no other man has done before he did not sin as we see in the book of 2 Corinthians for our sake he made him Jesus to be sin who knew no sin so that in him Jesus we might become the righteousness of God When You Believe In Jesus God looks at you as righteous he replaces your sin with his righteousness that's why you can be called a saint you've got to know know this you're no longer an Ain but because of Jesus you
are a saint you are righteous not because of anything you've done it's all about Jesus you are a saint not because you've earned that right but it's all about Jesus God doesn't love you because you're good enough it's all about Jesus that when you believe in him you receive his plan for your life he loves you he looks at you and he says you're righteous because I've replaced your sin with who I am you're holy because I'm holy you have the opportunity to be who God wants you to be as we come back to that Focus this year to equip the Saints we are recognizing that you just don't arrive at the place that God wants you
to be wouldn't it be great if you just showed up to church and all your problems were gone no you've got to be equipped in this you've got to keep growing in this you've got to become who God wants wants you to be when we talk about becoming Saints here at Journey Church at the moment you believe in Jesus you get that new name that new identity but now you've got to grow in it the word for this in the scriptures is is a disciple a disciple is a student that learns from the teacher in this case in the scriptures when you hear about discipleship Jesus is the teacher and you're the student but Jesus says that if you are a disciple you go and make disciples so when we talk about equipping the Saints we're talking about discipleship we're talking about disciples making disciples we've been studying the book of Ephesians and in
the fourth chapter of Ephesians Paul explains why there are different roles in the church there are not different roles in the church so that we would create good programs so that you could attend and have a great church that meets your needs but rather we read in the book of Ephesians chapter 4 starting with verse 11 and he God gave the apostles the prophets the evangelists the Shepherds and the teachers to what equip everyone shout equip equip the Saints for the work of Ministry for building up the body of Christ that's the church until we all attain to the unity everyone shout Unity Unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ I'm afraid that so many times in the church we let people down without giving
them a fair expectation of what you can get from God you know in Ephesians chapter 3 when Paul prayed for the church he said oh that you would know the height of depth the width the breadth of God's love and be filled with the fullness of God have you been filled with the fullness of God I'm talking about the power of God the love of God the grace of God the peace of God God wants you to experience the fullness of who he is how do you experience the fullness well you get equipped we want to equip the Saints so that you'd experience the fullness of what God has planned for you look at verse 14 so that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of Doctrine by human
cunning by craftiness and deceitful schemes God wants you to be equipped with everything you need so you no longer be deceived no longer be immature and be tossed to and fro by by by the wind of the Demonic doctrine of our day but you can trust God that no matter what happens God is faithful and God is true but I want you to ackowledge here this isn't just one Saint we equip the Saints We Are Better Together We need each other we will build a stronger church when we're in this together when we recognize that it's not just about a holy huddle here this place is destined and designed for your friends we will not create a church where we say well I just want to know everybody's names I just want to warn you in heaven there's
going to be so many people you won't know everybody's names we want to create a church that reflects a lot more like heaven where we say listen we want to keep growing and we want to keep going until every single soul is saved until they understand that God has a plan that they can be a saint that's what it means to be a saint just turn to somebody you love and say you're a saint come on somebody you're a saint all right all right turn to somebody you don't love and say you're a saint too okay you're a saint too you're a saint you're a saint you're a saint come on you're a saint yes you're a saint everyone shout Saint Saint so we've talked about what it means to be a saint now I just want to spend a minute talk about what it means to be a soldier because when you're a soldier you're part of something so much greater than yourself you're part of
God's Army when we read in the Bible second Timothy the author Paul is writing to Timothy a pastor of a church called Ephesus and he's writing at the very end of his life and his last words to Timothy is to rise up and become who God's called him to be and I believe this is a message for the church today you then he says in 2 Timothy 2:1 my child be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus someone needs to hear that word for your life today you feel weak spiritually you feel empty you feel dry you feel like you want to give up God wants you to be strengthened he is not asking you to muster up the strength he's not asking you to find it in some spirituality You Are strengthened by Grace God himself wants to give you what you need to get through your life he doesn't want you just to survive he
wants you to thrive and it's not through anything you can do it's Grace in Christ Jesus he goes on in verse two to say and what you've heard from me in the presence of many witnesses in trust to Faithful Men Who will be able to teach others also we could call call that equipping the Saints when you've been strengthened by grace and someone needs your help you go equip the Saints you can't contain it somebody you can't hold it back we are Grace givers at Journey Church that's one of our core values you receive God's grace if you really received it you got to give it away you've really been loved by God you got to love other people you shouldn't be forgiven so why in the world do we hold back and say I'm not going to forgive you God didn't forgive you because you're just like the best child ever he forgives you because he's a god that is
love and he gives you a second chance and a third chance we ought to do the same look at verse three share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus someone shout Soldier come on for some reason we think that life is all about me and when life is difficult why would God do this to me well someone hasn't been reading their Bible the Bible says that this is not the Destin ation we're living for something greater and this current suffering is nothing compared to the glory that we're going to get forever and ever so it's time to start sucking it up and shoulders back and chin up and start acting like a good soldier that if I go through something I don't give up I don't shut up I don't just fall down and say oh I can't believe the devil's doing this to me why
would you let me do this to me no I take it as a badge of honor if I'm going through something the enemy must see me as a threat so therefore if I suffer I'm going to be a good what soldier of Christ Jesus no Soldier look at verse four gets entangled in civilian Pursuits since his aim is to please the one who's enlisted him my friend if you believe in Jesus you're born again you have a new new new plan and a purpose for your life a new Destiny but I'm too afraid that so many Christians today act just like the world we live like the world world and the Bible says if you're going to be a saint you sign up to be a soldier but you must choose to be a good soldier I believe over the last few years I've
seen in my lifetime those who call themselves and profess to be Christians they've gone awall they are absent without leave they're not praying on their knees they're not petitioning Heaven they're not asking God to do more than they could pray in their lifetime I'm believing today we're not to live like the world we don't condemn the world we don't shame the world we just say we're not of the world I'm living for something greater you are at War whether you know it or not you're in a spiritual war you may not even realize it but I came here today to tell you you are at War this is a spiritual war this is a war between light and darkness good
and evil between Jesus the Christ and the devil the Antichrist you are at War the enemy is so real and so clever he would like you to not think he's real he would like you to not think about him that's the devil's plan for you to forget that you're even at War and that there's someone trying to destroy your life when Paul told Timothy in his first letter about what it means to follow Jesus he said fight the good fight of Faith take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you were made a good confession in the presence of many witnesses if you believe in Jesus and you confess Jesus as as Lord you're not in a bad fight you're in a good fight and it's time to fight that good fight God has given you
everything you need to be victorious I'm telling you today you don't need to figure this out on your own but you do do need to learn from your commander and chief that's Jesus Christ you need to lean in and listen and learn from Jesus Jesus do you all remember Joshua Joshua in the Old Testament took over after Moses died and he was to lead the Israelites into the promised land the problem is the promised land was occupied by an enemy they were big they were giants they had better weapons they had bigger higher walls so how could they bring down the walls of cities like Jericho before they went up against Jericho one day and Joshua chapter 5 we're told this in verse 13 when Joshua was by Jericho he lifted up his eyes and he looked and behold a man was standing
before him with a drawn sword in his hand I believe that man was Jesus this is called a christophany where you you get a glimpse of Jesus before Jesus revealed fully who he is and Joshua went to him and said to him are you for us or for our adversaries and he said no but I am the commander of the army of the Lord now I have come and Joshua fell on his face to the Earth and worshiped and said to him what does my Lord say to his servant when we see God clearly God G gives us an opportunity to be on his side too many times we wonder God are you on my side or the enemy's side and
the Lord wants to look at you today and say listen I'm not on yours or theirs okay let me put it in terms that you would understand God is is not a republican nor is he a Democrat God is not for either political party or nor is independent or any of the other parties that we might say well this is a little more pure and real God is inviting us to be on his side he is not for the west and he is not for the Middle East God stands alone and stands apart in all history he's Eternal the alpha the Omega the beginning the end he was eternally God and he will forever be God and that's what sets him apart he is unlike the devil who is a created creature that was intended to worship
God but instead rebelled against him and in that Rebellion he got all Humanity to rebel against God as well Jesus was there that day that Satan got kicked out of heaven Luke 10:18 Jesus said to them I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven because of his Rebellion because he wanted to be worshiped instead of worship the only unworthy Jesus says of the devil he he by the way G Jesus educates us on the devil not to scare us but to prepare us don't you ever let Hollywood influence you more on who the devil is than Jesus John chapter 10 ver10 Jesus speaks of the devil and calls him a thief the thief comes only to steal kill and destroy I came that they may have life
and have it abundantly Jesus puts the devil in his proper place and he lets us know he's not a Creator he's a thief he's come to steal your peace rob you of Joy he's come to take what's not rightfully his if you've ever wondered why am I going through what I'm going through it could be the devil's taking something that's not rightfully his I don't want to give the devil all the credit because some of us just make mistakes in our life it's either you or the broken world that we live in or the devil but we are at War you're not to be naive Satan is your enemy he wants to deceive you and who you are who God is and even who he is because if he can deceive you he can
take you on a detour of God's plans anybody ever been on one of those rotten detours oh he's an awful enemy he will take you to places that you thought would be good only to end up on the ground in the place you don't want to be but how good is God that he's not going to shame you nor is he going to condemn you in Jesus he's going to bring you back home home the devil doesn't just want to deceive you or take you on a detour he wants to destroy your life how does he do that he divides he takes us to places that we we shouldn't go he's looking for people to devour I I like how Peter puts it he calls the devil an adversary anybody ever been through adversity come on that's the devil right there look look at what he says in 1 Peter 5'8 be sober minded and Be watchful this is a guy by the way that's made some
miserable mistakes he fell into the traps of the enemy that he could be good enough and strong enough and Jesus is like no you're going to mess up many times but but Peter's like not me Jesus but yes you Peter he finally says listen guys don't do what I did be sober minded and Be watchful your adversary that's what he calls the enemy your adversary the devil prows around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour make no mistake about it the devil is not the lion but he's acting like one one he's going to and fro on this Earth looking for someone to devour looking for the weak looking for those that are a threat to the kingdom he's looking to bring you down and I tell you this not to be afraid of this but to understand the
reality that the devil is real and this is spiritual warfare why is this spiritual warfare We Are Spiritual people you have a spirit that is eternal I want to make you aware of this reality that you're body will not last forever but your spirit will one day if you believe in Jesus and you are a saint you will be glorified but while we're here on this Earth we are to fight not with the weapons of this world but with the weapons God's given us 2 Corinthians 104 says for the weapons of our Warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds consider what this would look like in Central Oregon if we took god seriously strongholds would be
broken in the name of Jesus we would understand that our weapons are not of this world let me put this in perspective and I say this with the most loving conviction I can say we need less keyboard Warriors and more prayer warriors we mean more people petitioning in prayer interceding for our neighbors not knowing what they're going through but believing that God's not finished with them yet we don't need to tell the world what we're against but what we're for and we are for Jesus Jesus Christ and if we're for him who could be against us I'm prophesying that strongholds will be broken in Central Oregon suicide broken in jesus' name if you came here today with Suicidal Thoughts we rebuke those right now in the name of Jesus that is not a thought of God you are loved that is not the
path that God wants to take you on yes you've been through a lot but that's because God loves you and the enemy hates you I want you to know today that you have hope in Jesus name he want wants to use your life to be a catalyst of Hope for someone else today don't you let the devil get in your head you get into God's word that God's word would get into you suicide is not God's plan it's a stronghold of the devil we rebuke that over Central organ in Jesus name we invite the Holy Spirit to be a comforter of anyone that's ever made that anybody been impacted by Suicide God doesn't leave you he comforts you he wants to help you and anybody that that's been lost because the devil lied to them I'll tell you that what the enemy intends for
evil God uses it for good we will not be silent in Central Oregon we want to prophesy against every Addiction in Central Oregon every fentanyl meth heroin even marijuana we declare right now is not hope you do not need to numb your problems I want to prophesy over you today you are able to sleep without a substance helping you I re recognize your life is stressful it is hard it is difficult I believe today that I believe that you've been through so much more than any of us understand but you do not need to medicate your problems you need to bring them to Jesus he's a Healer he is the one that gives you hope and today we're going to believe that the weapons God has given us listen I I every time I
speak against marijuana I get hate mail uh it's probably not someone here it's someone watching right now it is not marijuana Jesus said it's not what goes into a man that makes him unclean it's what comes out of him and I'm afraid if we are not bringing the good news of Jesus to others we don't have him inside of us he's given us every weapon we need to bring down the strongholds in Jesus name we're going to do that but we've got to take Jesus so seriously that we would take God of his word Isaiah 54 says no weapon fashioned against you shall succeed I like the way the King James says that no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper God is with you so when the enemy comes
against you you say listen Romans 12:21 I will not be overcome by evil but I will overcome evil with good let me Proclaim it again again in Jesus name we will overcome evil with good because of what Jesus has done Colossians 2:15 says Jesus dishonor armed the rulers and the authorities and put them to open Shame by triumphing over them in him the victory is ours in Jesus he's shamed the enemy because Jesus has authority over the enemy which by the way the devil is not equal with Jesus Jesus is Supreme Over All including Satan he's given you everything you need how let me just conclude with this here's how you trust in him you believe in him I know it sounds simple James puts it this way and
he put it several different ways if you read the short book of James he says submit yourselves therefore to God in another place he said if you draw near to God God's going to be there God will draw near to you submit yourselves therefore to God resist the devil and he will flee from you this sounds Elementary but many people are not doing this they're on the front lines and they've engaged in the Warfare of man people are not your problems they're not your enemy your ex is not your en enemy your boss is not your enemy your coworker is not your enemy that neighbor with a barking dog is not your enemy people can be a conduit to your problem but this is a spiritual war so you've got to fight the right War so you've got to go to God and you need to resist the devil you need to let the devil know you
have all authority over him not on your own authority but in Jesus name you cancel all plans of the devil you rebuke the enemy and you give God the glory my friends if you're going to be a saint you do need to fight you need to fight you need to fight this is a good fight it's not against man it's not against woman Ephesians 6 says against principalities of Darkness I want to just encourage you today that you can go read this on your own we're going to study this in the weeks to come God has given you everything you need it's time to dress for success I'm talking about the armor of God and if you're going to be a saint you're also going to be a soldier which means I refuse to be a victim I am not entitled to anything I will not have pity parties while I'm here on Earth I do not need to be pampered by anyone I will not blame
anyone for who I am because I am a saint and I am a soldier in Jesus Christ together we will fight the good fight we will celebrate and we will sing but we will not be discouraged when it looks like the enemy is advancing because it is darkest right before the dawn and God is about to bring an explosive light to this city we will be a city on the hill we will let the world know who our God is through our good deeds and we will Point all the glory to Our Father in Heaven I will not be threatened by the devil but I will threat the threaten the devil I will not quit I will not hold back I will not shut up because I am surrendered to Jesus Christ I have the power of the holy spirit inside of me who leads me he guides me and he fills me up I am praying for an outpouring of the spirit and bend organ but I don't want to just believe it alone I'm asking will you
believe with me for Revival I will do good and I will give honor to God I did not arrive at this place alone I do not deserve any of this but I will give Jesus all the glory because of God's grace little me gets to make an eternal impact and you too whether you're 12 or you're 102 you are never too young to do great things for God Jesus loves children and he he looks forward to how they could be a part of his kingdom he brings equality to women he sees not race for he created all of mankind we get to be a part of God's Army but we've got to recognize to be a soldier it starts first by being a saint so this year we will do one thing we will equip the Saints and unleash the Army the army
of God please hear me today I am only a saint because of Jesus I'm only a soldier because of Jesus I can declare to you that my life my family in this church is all about Jesus would you say that with me it's all about Jesus it's all about Jesus and if we have Jesus and we can't hold him back Paul says in Philippians chapter 1 verse 211 for me to live is Christ to die is gain so I'm going to spend every day focused on who Jesus is in my life you can try to take this hope away but even if you kill me I just get to celebrate because now I'm in the presence of Jesus my faith is sealed by the holy Holy Spirit and nothing can separate me from the love of God the last thing I want to share is this is not hope for some people wherever you came from today maybe you come from an
unchurched background maybe you were raised in the church and have been hurt by the church this is not just hope for me this is hope for everyone would you say that with me hope for everyone say it again hope for everyone if you came here today and you have any struggle in your heart you feel far away from God I'm giving you an invitation right now this is hope for you this is hope for you this is personal this is not hope for someone else this is hope for you right where you are today is a call to action though you cannot remain the same this is a call to action will you believe and surrender your life to Jesus Christ some of you have been playing games with God your entire life you've bared with God if you do this then I'll do this but I want to just tell you
right now there's no bartering with God you give them everything Jesus says if you're going to follow follow me you've got to count the costs we don't say that enough at church because when you give your life to Jesus I'm telling you he will take you further than you ever thought you'd go the Bible says it's like you you've been mounted on wings like eagles where you were weak before God's going to make you strong he's going to use your life if you've never believed in Jesus right now is your moment to say yes to Jesus the Bible says you've got to believe in your heart that he is Lord that you are a sinner in need of a savior and if you're willing to confess him that you need him as Lord and savior of your life you will be saved but this is just the beginning of the greatest Journey you've ever been on
so I want to ask you wherever you are right now do you want to believe in Jesus do you want to receive the most lifechanging love he made you he loves you but now it's up to you were you just right where you are if you're ready to do that we want to celebrate with you you're not alone I want to see who's making that decision today I made that decision when I was 15 years old I thought I was overlooked because my my dad left my family when I was two never to return never had a relationship with him mom went through so many different boyfriends I didn't know what a dad was I was pretty certain that God overlooked me I didn't grow up in the church but when a friend invited me to youth group I was introduced to the same
Jesus I'm talking about today and it changed my life Ryan Ellis just shared it changed his life he can change yours as well if you want that Jesus today you say you know I wasn't brought here by accident maybe a friend brought you maybe you had courage to come to church for the first time maybe you've been coming here for weeks but you've yet to surrender to Jesus if that's you I'm going to to ask you boldly would you just throw your hand up say yes I'm saying yes to Jesus I believe in Jesus praise God I love when kids say yes to Jesus praise God praise God praise God praise God I'm so proud of you praise God anyone else anyone else yes praise God yes you're a Son of God a child of God he loves you so much anyone
else you're GNA say yes yes my my day has changed I believe I believe list make sure that he gets a book up here too right right here I want to make sure anyone else some someone back there you saying yes I'm here my heart's raed see yes praise God I see you God praise God is there anyone else here today this a bold Proclamation the moment you say yes you become a saint and now it's up to you to be a soldier praise God I love you standing up yes you're a saint and you're a soldier so proud of you just going to ask if if you're willing to rise up and be in God's Army who's going to stand with me today who's going to stand with me stand up if
you're with me that we'd rise up we'd be Saints and Soldiers in God's Army this is between you and God now Lord you see your army here today Lord you see the potential in us that we don't even know we can't even imagine what would happen if we take our faith so seriously what will happen to our families what will happen to the city and beyond God I'm praying that missionaries would raise up out of this church to change the world I'm praying for new churches in primeville and in m in Le Pine and in Sun River and in sisters we are praying that Central Oregon will never be the same because we're taking you seriously Lord we surrender our sin to you if you Rose your hand today to follow Jesus I'm going to ask you to pray out loud with me anyone who's ever prayed this before we're just going to pray it together we're simply just saying yes to Jesus there there's no right words prayer is conversation with god is saying yes I'm
going to talk to you God just say this out loud if you believe this Lord Jesus I believe in you forgive me of my sin I trust in you help me to be a saint and a soldier I Surrender my life to you in Jesus name amen and amen can you celebrate Jesus today praise God
Read · talk · practice
Keep growing.
Together.
Identity before assignment
Pastor Keith defines a saint as a believer in Jesus rather than someone who has earned holiness through miracles, a vote, or death, and he describes saints as set apart yet sent into culture. He grounds this identity in Hebrews 4, where Jesus is a high priest who sympathizes with weakness yet was without sin, and in 2 Corinthians 5, where believers receive his righteousness.
Hebrews 4:15 · 2 Corinthians 5:21
- Where do you tend to measure your holiness by effort or performance rather than by what Jesus has done?
- How would your daily life change if you saw yourself as set apart into the world rather than separate from it?
Discipleship as equipping
Pastor Keith connects sainthood to discipleship, where Jesus is the teacher and believers are students who go on to make students. He cites Ephesians 4 to show that church roles exist to equip saints for ministry rather than to create programs that only satisfy attenders, and he notes that no one simply arrives at the place God wants without growing.
Ephesians 4:11-13 · Ephesians 4:14
- Who is currently speaking into your growth, and where are you helping someone else grow?
- Which church role or ministry has helped you mature, and where might you be ready to help equip someone else?
The soldier's grace and endurance
Second Timothy 2 pictures a soldier strengthened by grace, willing to share in suffering, and avoiding entanglement in civilian pursuits. Pastor Keith emphasizes that strength comes from God rather than self-effort, and that suffering can be a badge of honor rather than evidence of abandonment.
2 Timothy 2:1 · 2 Timothy 2:2 · 2 Timothy 2:3 · 2 Timothy 2:4
- Where are you trying to muster spiritual strength instead of receiving grace?
- What pursuit is currently entangling you and distracting from your calling?
Naming the real enemy and the real weapons
The sermon insists that believers are in a spiritual war against principalities, not against people, and Pastor Keith identifies people as conduits of problems rather than enemies. The devil is described as a created deceiver, thief, and adversary, and spiritual weapons—especially prayer—are held up as the means by which strongholds are broken. Ephesians 6 is cited for the nature of the battle.
1 Peter 5:8 · 2 Corinthians 10:4 · Ephesians 6
- Who in your life do you tend to treat as an enemy when the real battle is spiritual?
- How can you shift from online argument toward specific, intercessory prayer?
Victory, surrender, and revival
The closing section leans on Isaiah's assurance that hostile weapons will not succeed, on Romans 12 about overcoming evil with good, and on Colossians 2 about Jesus disarming the powers. Pastor Keith then cites James 4 on submitting to God and resisting the devil, and he ends with a call to surrender to Jesus and prayer for revival in Bend and Central Oregon.
Isaiah 54:17 · Romans 12:21 · Colossians 2:15 · James 4:7 · Philippians 1:21
- Where do you need to move from a victim mindset to a surrendered soldier mindset?
- How can you give Jesus the glory for something you are currently tempted to take credit for?
Answers from this recording
Start a conversation.
What does Journey Church mean by 'equip the Saints and unleash the Army'?+
The phrase is the church's stated 2024 focus. Pastor Keith explains it as a two-part identity: being a saint means believing in Jesus and receiving his righteousness, while being a soldier means joining God's mission and spiritual battle. Ephesians 4 is cited to show that church roles exist to equip believers for ministry and maturity, and 2 Timothy 2 supplies the soldier imagery of endurance and freedom from entanglement.
How does Pastor Keith define a saint?+
The message rejects several common ideas: saints are not people who become holy by their own strength, perform miracles, earn a vote, die, or withdraw from society. Instead, a saint is any person who believes in Jesus. Pastor Keith notes the word appears many times in the New Testament and refers to believers. Drawing on Hebrews 4 and 2 Corinthians 5, he teaches that Jesus bore sin and gives his righteousness, and that set-apart saints are sent into culture to bring God's kingdom.
What does the sermon say about the devil?+
The devil is described as real, clever, and a created being rather than an equal to Jesus, who is supreme over all. The message says the devil was cast out of heaven for rebellion. Using John 10 and 1 Peter 5, Pastor Keith calls him a thief, deceiver, and adversary who prowls but is not the lion, and who wants people to forget the war and be detoured from God's plans.
Who does the sermon identify as the enemy, and what weapons are we to use?+
The enemy is not people—not an ex, a boss, a coworker, or a neighbor—but principalities of darkness in a spiritual battle, as described in Ephesians 6. Pastor Keith says people can be conduits of a problem without themselves being the enemy. Pointing to 2 Corinthians 10, he teaches that the weapons are not of this world but have divine power to destroy strongholds, and he emphasizes prayer over online argument.
Does the sermon suggest a person becomes a saint immediately or grows into it?+
Both, in different senses. Pastor Keith says that at the moment a person believes in Jesus, they receive a new identity; they become a saint. But they then have to grow into it. The biblical word for that growth is disciple, and disciples make disciples. Citing Ephesians 4, the message teaches that church roles exist to equip believers toward unity and maturity, and that no one simply arrives at the place God wants.
