It may seem hard to believe right now but there has been a victory of eternal and monumental significance. It’s hard to imagine with all we see right now. We see war in Ukraine. We see war in Israel. We see wars in other nations that have been going on for years. We struggle in our own lives with depression, addictions, conflicts and sorrow. When will it end? Will I ever live in peace? Will there ever be peace in the world? Will there be an end to the conflict, tension and unrest? Yes. While our passage for Sunday is easily in the top-ten of most difficult passages to interpret, we find hope. Hiebert wrote, “This paragraph is notoriously obscure and difficult to interpret.” But, the beginning and end of the passage is very clear. So clear that it hardly needs an explanation. Peter reminded his readers that their present suffering was a real fight but it was a fight out of victory and not for victory. The principal conflict is over and the end has been determined. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ has provided all that the human race needs to have unbroken access to God. The ascension of Jesus has put Him in the place of ultimate authority. He reigns from the right hand of the Father and nothing and no one can take Him from His exalted position. Even the diabolical, perverted and demonic principalities and powers are subject to His victory. We live in His victory. We fight from this victory. Dear saint, don’t quit now. He has won!