Refuge Church Ojai Valley
by Refuge Church Ojai Valley
We exist to take the whole Jesus to the whole person. This podcast will be updated weekly with messages from Sundays once we start gathering in September 2023. Until then, we’ve posted some previous messages from our lead pastor, Kyle Costello.
Episodes
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Blueprint: MAN
What did God have in mind when He created man? It's a question that matters to more than just men. Because the way we understand God's design for man shapes our marriages, our families, our relationships, and the communities we build together. From the very beginning, God had a purpose. A design...
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What to do When Fear Steals Your Joy
What if joy is one of the most important things you were ever given—and one of the first things the enemy tries to take from you? We often think of joy as something that comes when life is going well. When circumstances line up, prayers get answered, and things finally feel right. But Scripture...
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What To Do When You Don't Know Why You Do The Things You Do
What if some of the things shaping your life started long before you were born? The patterns we inherit. The struggles that seem to run in families. The things passed down from one generation to the next, sometimes without us even realizing it. These things can run deep, and time alone doesn’t…
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What to do When You Don't Feel Free
What does it truly mean to be free? Our culture celebrates freedom, but so often we find ourselves enslaved to our desires, our habits, and our sin. In Romans 6 and Galatians 5, we discover that true freedom isn’t found in doing whatever we want, but in being set free from the power of sin…
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What to do When Submission Feels Like Death
What comes to mind when you hear the word submission? If we're honest, most of us probably cringe a little. We live in a culture that celebrates independence, questions authority, and was quite literally born out of rebellion. But what if one of the sneakiest things keeping us from the freedom...
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When Chains Fall
What does freedom actually look like? This week, we're stepping into Kyla's story of what it looks like to walk through the process of freedom—and what can happen when we stop living under the weight of what has held us captive. Because freedom isn't just something Jesus promised. It's something…
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What to Do When You Don't Look Like Jesus
What if forgiveness isn't hard because you don't know you're supposed to forgive… What if it's hard because it actually hurts? Some wounds don't disappear just because we decide to forgive. There can be grief. Anger. Loss. Consequences. And sometimes, the person who hurt you isn't sorry—or isn't...
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What to do When you are a Wounded Gazelle | Kyle Costello
What happens when you’ve been wounded for so long that you start believing the wound is who you are? A wounded gazelle is vulnerable. It’s easier to isolate. Easier to deceive. Easier for the predator to convince it that there’s no way out. And sometimes, spiritually, we can find ourselves in…
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Modern Day Revival
What if you’re carrying something you were never meant to carry? Jesus came with a very specific mission: to set captives free. And the truth is, you don’t have to be an outsider to be stuck. Sometimes the things holding us captive are much harder to see—strongholds, lies, patterns, and even...
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Wake Up to New
What if God isn't simply trying to fix the life you already have? What if He's inviting you into something completely new? We can spend so much of our lives asking God to repair what's broken, restore what's been lost, or make our circumstances a little better. But Scripture tells a bigger…
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The Cure for the Woe
What happens when we finally stop pretending? Sin has a way of convincing us that we're fine. Sometimes we hide behind our goodness. Sometimes we get stuck in the same patterns we can't seem to escape. Sometimes we say we need Jesus while quietly building a life that doesn't actually need Him.…
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Where are Your Roots?
What are you trusting to hold you up when life gets hard? We all put our trust somewhere. In our own strength. In other people. In what the world promises us. In the things we think will finally make us feel secure. But Scripture gives us a different picture: a tree planted by water, with roots...
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Sin as Deception
What if the hardest person to be honest with… is yourself? Sin doesn’t always look like rebellion. Sometimes it looks like justification. Blaming someone else. Minimizing what we’ve done. Pointing to all the good things we do so we don’t have to face the thing we know isn’t right. We can know the...
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Sin as Predator
We spend a lot of time treating symptoms. Fear. Anger. Division. Anxiety. Addiction. Broken relationships. But what if there's something deeper beneath it all? This week we begin a new series, Savior vs. Sin, as we explore what the Bible says about sin—not as an outdated idea, but as a real enemy...
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As it Happened
As It Happened | The Story of Ruth and So Much More Have you ever looked back on something in your life and realized that what felt like an accident might have been something more? A moment. A meeting. A door that opened. A place you just happened to be. Ruth found herself in a field that…
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God Said, But I Don’t Understand
If you've ever opened Scripture and thought, “I have no idea what I'm reading right now,” you're not alone. The Bible is a big story—and sometimes it can feel overwhelming to know where you fit into it. But what if we stepped back and saw the whole picture? From creation and the fall, through the...
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Did God Really Say?
From the very beginning, the enemy has planted the same question in our hearts: "Did God really say?" It's a question that still shapes the way we think, live, and follow Jesus today. This week, our Associate Pastor, Derry Brooks, begins a new series exploring the Bible—not just as an ancient…
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Mercy for my Enemies
What do you do when God shows mercy to someone you wouldn’t? As we close Modern Day Jonah, we arrive at one of the most surprising endings in Scripture — not a story about a city changed, but a prophet confronted by the mercy of God. Because God is always in the pursuit business. Always in the...
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The Time is Now
What if your rescue was only the beginning? Jonah’s story could have ended with grace in the fish. Instead, God spoke again: “The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time…” This week we look at the God who rescues, restores, and sends. Because the Gospel was never meant to stop with us. Your...
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When Life Smells Like Fish
Have you ever felt completely qualified one moment… and completely unqualified the next? Jonah knew what it meant to hear God’s voice. He also knew what it meant to run from it. This week we continue our "Modern Day Jonah" series and step into one of the most honest moments in Scripture — the…
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Modern Day Jonah
Most of us know Jonah as the prophet who ran from God. But beneath the surface is a story about a man who struggled to trust God's heart—for others and for himself. The truth is, nobody is above running. We run from difficult conversations, difficult people, difficult callings, and sometimes from...
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Worship
We all worship something. The question isn't whether we're worshippers—it's whether we're giving our worship to someone truly worthy of it. As we conclude our 1 > 99 series, we'll explore how an encounter with the living God changes everything. When we see God for who He truly is, our minds are...
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1 > 99 : Community
We all long for connection, purpose, and a place to belong. But the kind of life Jesus offers isn't found by simply being around people—it's found by walking through Him. This week in our 1 > 99 series, we're exploring how Jesus, the Good Shepherd, invites us into a community marked by…
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Truth: The Foundation of Everything
Does truth actually exist? In a world full of “your truth” and “my truth,” we’ll look at what Scripture says about THE truth — Jesus himself — and what it means to be a church that refuses to compromise on it. We’ll explore how to find truth, take refuge in it, wield it as a weapon in spiritual...
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Calling Over Comfort
What if the life God is calling us to is bigger than the comfort we’ve settled for? This week we launch our new series, 1 is Greater than the 99, a journey through the heart of Jesus — the Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to pursue the one. As we begin, we’re asking a foundational question…
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The Holy Spirit Filled Moms Who Changed the World
This Sunday, we’re looking at the powerful stories of women in Scripture whose lives reveal what it means to walk in the Spirit. Through obedience. Through surrender. Through suffering. Through faithfulness. From Eve to Hannah, Ruth to Mary, we see that God has always worked powerfully through...
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Two Big, Absolutely Essential Words
Two big, absolutely essential words. Intercessor. Advocate. Words that reveal something powerful about the heart of God toward us. When life feels overwhelming, when anxiety is loud, when fear takes over, when you don’t even have the words to pray—the Holy Spirit is already at work. He knows. He...
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The Holy Spirit is our Comforter
Where do you go for comfort? Is it control? Success? Proving yourself? Or something deeper? Jesus didn’t leave us to figure life out on our own. He gave us the Holy Spirit—our Comforter. Not comfort through autonomy… but through surrender. Not comfort through ego… but through mercy and peace. He...
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The Holy Spirit is our Counselor
As we step into this message with our Associate Pastor, Derry Brooks, we’re reminded that the Holy Spirit is not distant or abstract—He is God with us. He is the Counselor Jesus promised. He dwells within His people and is actively at work in their lives. The Holy Spirit is personal. He is…
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Introducing the Holy Spirit
Do you believe the Holy Spirit is real… or just an idea? Not a force. Not energy. Not something to control. A Person. One who speaks, guides, convicts, comforts—and lives in you. So what does that actually mean for your everyday life? Who are you really relying on? And what might need to be...
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Christians are Consumed by Hope (Easter Sunday)
Hope has a name. Today we gather to celebrate a hope that does not end at the grave — a hope that meets us in our wounds, speaks into our questions, and holds us when we feel like we are running out of strength. A hope that reaches into yesterday, steadies us in today, and stretches far beyond…
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Christians are Sold Out to Jesus
In a world full of competing loyalties — religion, culture, comfort, success — Jesus doesn’t ask for part of us. He invites all of us. This Palm Sunday, we’re stepping into the tension of a crowd that shouted “Hosanna” one day and “Crucify Him” just days later. As we open Scripture, we’ll wrestle...
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Christians are Pursuing Holiness
In a culture full of mixed messages about identity, love, and sexuality, God offers something different — something better. This week, we’re talking about holiness — not as restriction, but as invitation. An invitation into a life marked by honor, freedom, and wholeness. As we open Scripture…
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Christians are Being Transformed
Transformation isn’t just about changing habits — it’s about becoming more like Jesus in every part of our lives. This week in our “Christians Are…” series, we explore how God works in us to shape our hearts, minds, and communities with our associate pastor Zack Totten. From receiving the Word…
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Christians are Radical, Life-Changing Encouragers
Encouragement might sound simple — maybe even a little soft. But in the kingdom of God, encouragement is anything but small. Scripture calls believers to build one another up in ways that are bold, intentional, and deeply transformative. The kind of encouragement Christians are called to isn’t...
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Christians are Leaders with Integrity
What does godly leadership actually look like? In a world that often elevates platform over character, Scripture calls Christian leaders to something deeper — lives marked by integrity, devotion, holiness, and humility. Leadership in God’s kingdom starts at home, flows from a surrendered life…
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Christians are Everyday Soldiers
Following Jesus doesn’t mean we ignore the reality of the battle around us — it means we learn to see it clearly. This week we talk about spiritual warfare: the unseen struggle, the very real resistance to our faith, and the power God has given us to stand firm. Not with fear, not fighting the...
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Christians are Storytellers
Every life is telling a story. The question is—what story is yours pointing to? This week, as we continue our journey through Thessalonians, we’re talking about what it means to live as people shaped by God’s mission, formed by His truth, and marked by a hope that’s bigger than our circumstances....
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Christian Are... Rooted in the Power of the Spirit
What if the Christian life was never meant to be lived in our own strength? This week, we’re talking about the Holy Spirit — not as a distant idea, but as God’s active presence teaching us, guiding us, filling us with joy, and leading us into real freedom. As we learn to listen in prayer and...
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Christians Are… Submitted to God’s Word
What does it really mean to live as a Christian in today’s world? In this message we launch our series into the book of Thessalonians and explore what it looks like to stand firm in our identity without losing humility, to submit our lives to God’s living Word, and to be people who don’t just…
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Start Fast: Felicia's Story
As we step into this year with a renewed mission to share our story with those around us, we’re reminded that God is still moving — and every story matters. This week, Felicia shares a powerful testimony of how God met her in moments of heartbreak and vulnerability, walked with her through years…
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Start Fast: Rest
We all say we want rest… but do we really know what we’re asking for? This week, we slow down and listen to Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28–30 — not to escape life, but to find a different way to live within it. In a world shaped by hurry and pressure, we’re exploring what true rest actually…
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Start Fast: Repentance
What does it really mean to repent? Repentance is often misunderstood as feeling bad, making promises, or trying harder—but the Bible paints a much deeper and more hopeful picture. In this sermon, we explore what repentance truly is, what it is not, and why taking sin seriously is not about…
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Start Fast
Three Guys… and THE Guy. In this message, we look at three reasons Scripture gives us for fasting — and why it still matters today. Mordecai teaches us to fast in the middle of real, physical need. Daniel shows us how fasting sharpens us for spiritual battles. David reminds us that fasting can be...
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What if I Told You He Is Here?
What if I told you… He is here? In this message from our What If I Told You? Advent series, our Pastors, Kyle Costello and Derry Brooks, explore why the Christmas story is not just something we feel — it’s something we can trust. Together, we look at the testimony of the Father about the Son, the...
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What if I Told You He Is Eternal?
What if it’s true… that He is Eternal? Today we’re diving into John 1 and the Genesis story to see that Jesus—the One who came in a manger—has been there from the very beginning. The Word who spoke creation into existence is the same One who brings life and light to us today. The Light shines in...
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What if I Told You He Is King?
All Hail the King! What if I Told You… He is King? He reigns over peace… and there will be no end. What if I told you that you can experience this King today? Whether you already follow Him, are ready to start, or had no idea—this week we invite you to encounter the humble King who is: A…
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What if I Told You He Was Humble?
What if I told you He was humble? In a world chasing status, image, and influence, Jesus chose a manger, a quiet life, and a posture of humility that redefined greatness itself. And this Christmas, that’s not just comforting — it’s the best news for our lives today. His humility opens the door to...
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Grateful
This Sunday, we’re reminded of the power of remembering and giving thanks. Time and time again in Scripture, God calls His people to not forget what He has provided. Jesus continues this with the Eucharist — a practice of thanksgiving meant to shape our hearts. Join us as we explore how gratitude...
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Love As Our Power
This Sunday, Derry Brooks helps us focus on the truth that real power comes from the love and Spirit of God, not from anything we build on our own. We contrast our temporary “kingdoms” with God’s lasting work and look at how the Spirit empowered Saul, Samson, David, and the believers at…
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About this show
We exist to take the whole Jesus to the whole person. This podcast will be updated weekly with messages from Sundays once we start gathering in September 2023. Until then, we’ve posted some previous messages from our lead pastor, Kyle Costello.
Hosted by
Refuge Church Ojai Valley
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