Success in anything never comes at a bargain. It also goes beyond having a clearly set
goal. Long after you have set your goal, there are other things that you have to fight, not
the least is the force of intimidation. Nehemiah is generally known as a reformer, but his
achievement did not come cheap. He had to fight a series of battles. His detractors first
mocked his efforts. When that failed, they resorted to threats which equally failed. In our
passage of Scripture for today, they hatched a new ploy. A false prophet was hired who
told Nehemiah that they would come to kill him in the night. He was then advised to hide
in the inner court of the Temple. Nehemiah refused on two grounds. Firstly, he saw that
as cowardice; and that is unbecoming of a leader. Secondly, he realized that it would be
a sin on his part to enter the temple when he was not a priest.

“A combination of the word and prayer will subdue all distractions and facilitate our journey to success.”

Later events proved that it was a false alarm designed to intimidate Nehemiah and grind
his reforms to a halt. What saved him was biblical discernment.  “Therefore you and
your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and
behind the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood to you as a gift for service,
but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death” (Numbers 18:7). Nehemiah’s
grasp of the Scripture saved him from making a wrong move. In addition to his grasp of
God’s word, he also drew strength from constant prayer. A combination of the word and
prayer will subdue all distractions and facilitate our journey to success.