There is a really great story in the Old Testament about the children of Israel coming back to Jerusalem after seventy years in captivity. They were taken captive in three groups and they came back in three groups.

The third group to return came back under the leadership of Nehemiah. He learned that the city wall was in shambles and it broke his heart. He appealed to the king and was allowed to return to rebuild the wall.

Read: Nehemiah 4:1-4; 6:8-9, 15; 12:27, 31, 38-39

This, to me, is one of the funniest stories in the Bible. Nehemiah and his men worked tirelessly to rebuild the wall. And from the very first moment, they had opposition. There were those who just did not want that wall to be rebuilt.

But Nehemiah would not be deterred. He developed a strategy to continue the work while his men protected themselves from invaders. At one point, the adversary dished out ridiculous words meant to scare them and make the builders feel stupid. In chapter 4, Tobiah taunted them saying that if even a fox walked on the top of the wall it would topple. Now a fox is a pretty small animal and the wall couldn’t be very sturdy if the presence of a fox caused it to topple.

What did Nehemiah do? He continued the work and when it was all finished, he dedicated the wall. As a part of the dedication ceremony he invited all his friends and neighbors to come and bring their friends and neighbors and they walked on top of the wall, all the way around the city, playing musical instruments and singing praises to God.

Now if that isn’t a funny twist, I don’t know what is. Every time I read it, I have to chuckle. He took their taunts and made it his victory. Not only did he finish the wall, he walked all over it!

What is your adversary saying? How will you respond when you accomplish what you are going after? Lean into the wisdom of God and know that your victory is on the way!