The word 'church' does not refer to a building or an organization, but to a people who understand their identity in Christ. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus basically said that, ..".you are 'peteros' (speaking of a rock-splinter or a small piece of rock, which comes from a bigger rock 'petra') and upon this 'petra', upon this revelation of who I am and who you are; upon this revelation of My true identity and your true identity revealed, I will build My 'CHURCH', My 'EKKLESIA', My people who know and believe their identity revealed in Me, and the gates of hades, spiritual strongholds of ignorance and blindness, the very forces of darkness itself, will not prevail against them " When I discover Jesus for who He really is, He shows me who I really am. I am no longer a simion - like a reed, you know, just following and leaning towards whatever direction the wind is blowing. No, He shows me my true identity. He makes me a petros - a rock. Steadfast and immovable, secure in that identity, in that image of me revealed in Him. And now Jesus says that "the gates of hell, the gates of hades; the resistance of the enemy to maintain his ground will not prevail against us " That means that as we share these things with people, the enemy will not prevail in his efforts to keep them ignorant and deceived concerning their true identity revealed in Jesus