I was driving to work one morning and it just dropped in my spirit that the devil had robbed me of so many things—my peace, resources, my energy, time, hope, vision and so much more. The words, “Robbery with Aggravation” dropped in my spirit.
In Jamaica, Robbery with Aggravation is a Crime under the Larceny Act. It typically refers to robbery that involves the use of a weapon, violence or other aggravating circumstances or factors such as causing bodily harm.
As children of God, the devil has made it his job to aggravate us to the point where we lose our identity, our sanity, our destiny and purpose. This is his highway robbery of the children of God; he has perfected this art over time; before you are done fighting him you are so exhausted that you can’t fight anymore and you through in the towel.
The devil has robbed so many of us with aggravation through:
Bad Circumstances
He brings poverty, financial loss, health crises, and other circumstances to keep us anxious, worried and striving. We are so caught up battling these difficult issues in life that we cannot focus on the things of God. When the Children of Israel were in Egypt one of their biggest beef with Pharaoh, and therefore God’s biggest issue with him, was that he simply would not let the people of God go so that they could worship Him freely.
You cannot worship God or focus on the things of God when you are burden and loaded down under challenging situations. The children of Israel were in bondage, enslaved for centuries; they had no vision, no hope, and no future. The enemy was not only taking their physical strength, he was taking their emotional and spiritual substance. It is the same way the enemy traps and aggravates us out of our purpose.
Personal Failure
The devil lays traps and entices people to sin. Whether it’s sexual sin, the sin of idolatry, overspending, gossip, idleness, laziness, gluttony or any other sin you can imagine. Personal failure takes us off the path of God and separates us from Him, if we continue on that negative course. Sin takes our glory and brings shame. Even when you have repented and returned to God, the devil persists in seeking to bring shame. He tells you that you are worthless and undeserving of the promises of God.
Accusation and Threats
He is the accuser of the brethren. He accuses us when we are guilty and when we are not. He taunts, he haunts, and he brings others to accuse us. He makes us feel like we are the worst person in the world. “Nobody has ever done what you have done.” “You are the worst.” “You do not deserve forgiveness and will never be forgiven by God,” and the list goes on and on. People accused Jesus and crucified him. Unfortunately, we too will be harassed and accused in the world for no good reason. Jesus said the will hate us because it hated him first.
He threatens our lives and destinies, telling us, we will never make it. He always tries to make us feel we are not going to make it; that all is lost in our lives and that he has the power to harm us and determine where we end up in life. But the Bible says, that God has given us authority to trample upon serpents and scorpions and over all the powers of the enemy.
When the king of Assyria, Sennacherib (Isaiah 36) was attempting to intimidate King Hezekiah into submission, he sent threats by his servant Rabshekeh. Intimidation, fear and threats are often tactics used by the enemy to make you feel you cannot and will not make it; that your life is imploding and it makes no sense to even get up in the mornings.
The Great Highway Robbery
When the devil has us in a vortex of intense aggravation we are so stressed that many people choose coping mechanisms that depart from the ways of God. Some people turn to alcohol, others unhealthy entertainment, to sexual sins, and still others distract themselves with social media and other vices. The result is that we miss God’s timing and his opportunities. Then, we wake up one day and realise how much time has pass and all God laid on our hearts to do, has not been achieved. The devil wants to run out the clock on us.
Have you ever watched a football and basketball match and see the team that is ahead toss around the ball just to waste time? The time wasting team essentially takes the other team out of the game, and causes them to wander around the field with no purpose. They can’t go forward and they can’t go back. This must be aggravating to the team being tossed around. The devil uses aggravation to put us on the sideline of life and away from God’s purpose. Many of us only realise we have been robbed with aggravation on the highway of your life, after we miss God and miss our destinies.
The good news is that we serve a God who is our peace and our purpose. We have a Saviour who is the Prince of Peace. We can claim the joy of the Lord by dwelling in His presence. The devil is only permitted to rob us for a season. He took Job’s children, his flocks, his health, wealth and respect, but in the end God restored double. The enemy hits us with his best shot, and God permits it for a time, because our Heavenly Father is using the trials to strengthen us and build us up in battle. God is our defender and He brings us comfort in the midst of the onslaught of the enemy.
If you have been aggravated and robbed by the enemy, know that the Lord will restore everything you lost, then some. Your life ends in victory and the enemy’s in shame. Jesus is the way the truth and the life. If we rest in Him and keep our eyes on Him we will find our purpose.