“Lose to Win” — Sunday Sermon from August 30, 2026

The service on August 30, 2026, takes place under the harsh conditions of an exhausting war: continuous shelling and air raid alerts have been ongoing for the fourth consecutive day. The sermon begins with a candid acknowledgment of fatigue that threatens to turn into apathy or depression. However, the key message of the opening prayer is that the disappointment of believers will only multiply evil, which will never stop on its own.

Within the life of the church, the results of the children’s art party in Potapovo Park (August 24–28) were summarized, with an emphasis on the fact that church activity outside its walls is an imitation of the example of Jesus Christ. Sowing light and nurturing spiritual seeds in children is the only alternative to a future ruled by evil.

Central Theme of the Sermon

The sermon is the final part of the August thematic series entitled “Fighting and Winning”. Oleksandr Koltukov highlights a paradoxical concept: to achieve true spiritual victory, a person must “lose”—that is, surrender their own control, ambitions, and attempts to save the world on their own, completely submitting to God.

The pastor outlines two fundamental steps to receiving supernatural power:

1. Step 1: Submit to God (humility, trusting His timing, and delegating anxieties).
2. Step 2: Resist the devil (spiritual alertness, vigilance, and steadfast faith).

Biblical Breakdown and Key Points

1. Submission to God Is Not Weakness (1 Peter 5:6-7)

Submission to God consists in recognizing His authority and fully trusting His plan. Submission is expressed in three practical dimensions:

• Delegating cares through prayer: Prayer is an act of submission. We often hinder God by pre-imagining our own scenario for solving a problem. The pastor emphasizes: “Do not try to save this world on your own.”
• Waiting for God’s timing: Modern people are used to getting everything immediately, but God exalts us when we are spiritually ready to receive the blessing without harming ourselves.
• Accepting God’s will: Similar to the Lord’s Prayer, we should seek the fulfillment of the Father’s will on earth as it is in heaven.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:6-7 (ESV)

2. Resisting the Enemy and Spiritual Alertness (1 Peter 5:8-9)

The devil is not omnipotent—his main weapons are intimidation, manipulation, and spiritual laziness. The pastor uses a vivid analogy of a roaring lion: in nature, it is the old lion that has lost its teeth and strength that roars loudly. His goal is to frighten the prey and drive it into a panic so that it makes a mistake. Similarly, the devil tries to push a person toward wrong decisions through fear.

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”
1 Peter 5:8-9 (ESV)

To resist effectively, the following are necessary:

• Sober-mindedness: The ability to see circumstances in the light of God’s Word, rather than through the prism of empty news, toxic conversations, or TV shows.
• Vigilance: Closing the door to sin in time, not being afraid to confess, and seeking support in the community (in home groups).
• Firm faith: Faith serves as a shield that extinguishes the flaming darts of the evil one and protects against societal pressure.

Illustrations and Real-Life Examples

This thought is vividly underscored by two stories of contemporaries:

Simone Biles (the most decorated gymnast in world history 🤸‍♀️)

Having gone through a difficult childhood in her grandfather’s foster home, she reached the pinnacle of sports. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, due to exhausting mental pressure, she withdrew from the competition. Experiencing immense hate on social media, Simone realized that her value as a human being is not defined by the number of gold medals. Taking a break, pursuing education, starting a family, and trusting her life to God, she returned at the 2024 Paris Olympics and won three more gold medals. Conclusion: Do not allow the world to define your value—it has already been defined by God.

Lecrae (Lecrae Devaughn Moore — 4-time Grammy Award winner 🎤)

Grew up without a father in a high-crime neighborhood, suffered violence and abuse, sought acceptance in gangs, and nearly committed suicide. At age 19, during an arrest, an officer found a Bible in his car and, instead of arresting him, let the young man go on the condition that he start reading it. This radically changed his life. Despite the mockery of former friends, Lecrae became the first Christian rapper whose album topped the Billboard chart.

“If you live for their acceptance, you Die from their rejection.”
— Lecrae

Sermon Summary

True victory is not measured by societal approval, the number of likes, or the absence of problems. A person becomes a victor when they drop the masks of “omnipotence,” surrender to God, give Him their anxieties, and decisively reject the enemy’s lies. Your value is the price of the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross.