RECIOUS CARGO

A recent online shopping inspired me to write this message; I believe it will bless you.

2 Corinthians 12:8-9 foundational scripture

We are precious cargo. We are all parcels in transit. We were created for a specific purpose and we all have an assignment to fulfill. We haven’t yet reached our destination. Jesus has purchased us and we are in the process of becoming who Jesus created us to be. We are in transition. We are not where we used to be but we are not where we need to be yet either. We are struggling and becoming at the same time. We are working our weaknesses. 1

In this life, we follow Jesus our shepherd through the valley to get to the mountaintop. We all want to go from plateau to plateau but you have to go through the valley before you can get to the mountaintop. Storms hit all of our lives from time to time. No one is exempt. Not even Jesus was exempt. Storms or adversity happens in the valley. We learn, we grow the most during affliction and persecution.2 Pure gold emerges from the fiery furnace.

What’s impressive is what God has done in our lives despite our weaknesses, despite the trials and storms. God wants us to partner with Him with our words, prayers, and decrees. We can speed up our movement or transit with our words. How many of you want to get out of the valley faster?

The purpose of our weaknesses or deficiencies like fear, worry, doubt, anxiety etc. is to keep us humble and realize that we can do nothing apart from God.

God wants us to stop denying our weaknesses. Stop wearing a mask and pretending everything is ok. Stop hiding your weak areas and playing church. You will always be as sickly as your secrets.3 Satan wants you to keep secrets to keep you in bondage. Instead, expose your weak areas, the things you complain about and bring them to God in prayer. If it’s worth worrying about and complaining about then it’s worth praying about.

The problem is that most of the time; we want our will not God’s will.

We say things like “Lord take away this thorn, take away this problem then I will be able to witness better, be happy etc.” We think that we know. God wants us to learn how to function in the middle of the storm like Jesus did. In Matthew 14: 22-33 Jesus walks on water to reach his disciples in the midst of the storm. God wants us to learn to function with a thorn like Paul did and in the midst of the storm like Jesus did.

I believe that through our weaknesses and trials God is teaching us to become “storm ready.” We are “storm ready” when we build our house or our lives on the rock of God’s word found in Matthew 7:24-27. When the storms come your house will stand. God wants us to remember where we were going before the storm hit. Where were you heading?4

Unanswered prayers are not unmet needs. Delay is not denial. Sometimes God meets our needs by not answering our prayers. This is actually God’s mercy to not answer all our prayers. We don’t know what’s best BUT He does. Sometimes God meets our needs without answering our prayer the way we wanted.5

Maybe you feel like a damaged parcel today. You’ve been beaten down by the events of the past two years or so. It’s been one thing after another, you feel like you take one step forward but then two steps back. If this is you, I want you to know that God doesn’t look at past performance but today’s strength. God doesn’t consult your past to determine your future. You haven’t made too many mistakes, you’re not too old, too young, and it’s not too late no matter how impossible it looks. You are in transition. Things will not always be this way. Things will change, things will get better.

Don’t compare your life to others. Don’t let someone else’s testimony condemn you. Comparison culture kills our contentment. Comparison kills your purpose and faith. Focus on your own race. The space is not between you and me but the space is between who you are now and who you are becoming. We are in transition. We are in the process of becoming.6

God’s grace will fill the space between where you are now and where you are going. God’s grace will fill that space. James 4:6 says that God gives us more grace when we are humble. Ephesians 4:6 says “to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.” God has given you adequate grace for your race. Therefore be you. Be authentic. Don’t try to be like someone else. Run your race. Inside your parcel/package is everything you will ever need to fulfill your purpose and live a victorious life.

We are on a journey of becoming. Transition means change or movement. These things are not bad things. Your direction is greater and more important than your speed. Keep going. Pick up those dead dreams and goals, vision and breath life back into them with your words. (Ezekiel chapter 37-Dry Bones)

“Son of man, can these bones yet live?” Only you can answer that question. Only you can decide if you are going to keep moving forward, keep pushing or will you be one of those parcels that get lost in transit?

Some of us feel like lost parcels. We were on track in life pursuing our God given vision and goals when all hell broke loose against us. Now we’re just drifting, just existing in life. What will you decide to do? Will you stop, park your dreams and die? The bible says that those without vision perish in Proverbs 29:18. A person without vision will always return to the past. Many of us are in the valley of decision right now. What you say, your words reflect your decision. Your words will speak life or death to your destiny and purpose. Choose life!

For those of you who feel lost, those of you who are just wandering about without direction, I have good news for you: If anyone can find you, reach you, God can.

Tonight I believe that God is reaching down from heaven through this message. He sees you. Your dreams have been buried under things like hurt and disappointment. You are that parcel buried in the corner of the truck. You are in a dark place, you are buried. Others parcels have piled on top of you. You feel their weight. You feel so weighed down, so burdened. It looks like it’s all over and you will never make it to your destination BUT GOD. He sees you; His light shines through the darkness. God is doing inventory today and He sees you and picks you up in his hands. He wipes the dust off of you and sets you back in place, back in position, back in transition.

Choose to believe and trust God today. Seeds grow buried under the dirt. Butterflies emerge from a confined cocoon. The enemy is the one who wants you to think that’s it’s over, you’re done but he’s a liar.

God is working despite our deficiencies and problems. He is behind the scenes. He lets nothing go to waste. We survived a global pandemic! We survived that sickness, that loss, that breakup, that setback, that betrayal, that injustice.

We are all pierced for a purpose. Paul’s thorn kept him humble, kept him from pride. Pride says, “I don’t need your grace God, I can do it myself.” Pride is the great predator of our purpose. Satan fell because of his pride. 7God opposes the prideful but gives more grace to the humble James 4:6.

The enemy defeats us because we think we are strong. That’s pride. God wants us to admit and work our weaknesses. Ex; God I’m scared, I need some courage. God I feel so weak, tired, and weary but if you’re strong then I am strong. I will keep going, keep standing in your strength. Humility is saying “ I would not be here if not for the grace of God. Humility is saying “But God”.

God doesn’t need our strength but our surrender. He could do it himself but He chooses to partner with us. He chooses to use us as His mouthpiece. God wants us to be totally dependent on Him. He is looking for total dependence and radical obedience in this hour.

Jesus is not a crutch but a stretcher! He will stretch you, make you uncomfortable to get you to your original destination=purpose. Comfort and convenience are enemies of your purpose. God is always doing a new thing Isaiah 43:19.

We are precious cargo. We have been purchased at an extremely high price. We are in transit. We are on a journey of becoming, maturing into the person God created us

to be. The road is sometimes rough and bumpy. Storms hit causing our vision to be impaired. Ever try driving in a thunderstorm without your wipers working properly? You aren’t going anywhere because you cannot see, your vision is impaired. Storms and the cares of life come against us causing us to lose focus, lose momentum too.

Storms can come out of nowhere and blindside us. That friend dies. Your spouse says they don’t love you any longer. You get a bad doctor’s report. The business went bankrupt.

Sometimes you run into roadblocks along the way and you have to take an alternate route. The important thing is that you keep moving towards your original destination. Remember the direction in which you were going and keep taking steps by faith.8 Focus on your race/journey. Some parcels move faster than others, just like some cars go faster than others but they have a greater potential of crashing.

Slow and steady wins the race. Delay could be protection. Delay is not denial. Stay in God’s timing. The apostle Paul tells us to “Run your race in such a way that you win Hebrews 12:1”.

God has given you and I a roadmap. He has placed dreams, desires, goals, talents and gifts on the inside of you. He has given you Holy Spirit who is your built-in compass always steering you in the right direction. Holy Spirit helps you avoid obstacles and traffic, set by the enemy along your path. He sends out warning signals. We would save ourselves a lot of pain and suffering if we heeded His warnings. God has given you enough grace for your race. God always has an unfolding redemption and restorative plan in the midst of the storms, the shaking, and the trials of life. He wants the best for you and me. His will is our best-case scenario.

When we know God’s character through intimacy, through His Word, we can trust Him to anchor us during the storms of life and this present shaking and we can trust Him to get us to our original destination right on time. He’s never early or late! His timing is perfect Ecclesiastes 3:1!!

When we work our weaknesses and we align ourselves with God’s will for our lives that’s when breakthrough comes. “Lord what are you trying to teach me? Lord your will be done not mine. Shake me, move me, and use me. Lord I will only speak your Word over the situations in my life. Lord make me storm ready.”

My prayer is that the Lord makes us “weather warriors” who know how to enforce our God given authority to break up the storm and command it not to come ashore in our lives, our family, our nation, and our world.

God loves us too much to leave us where we are and the way we are.

We are precious cargo, we are in transit, we are struggling and becoming at the same time. God is the trusted Courier Company, Holy Spirit is the GPS or Navigation system, and we are the precious cargo in transit. Fulfilling our life assignment equals

reaching our original destination.

Did you know that you are the missing piece of the puzzle of God’s plan in this hour? You are so valuable. You are a precious parcel. You matter. You are seen and heard. You are loved. You are needed. God wants you to know that you are precious cargo!

We have entered a new era-the decade of the mouth-we are called to partner with God, align ourselves to His will and begin to Decree a thing- and it will be established Job 22:28. 9Let’s begin to decree, “Nothing is going to stop me, I will fulfill my purpose and bring God much glory”.

God is preparing us for our purpose. 2 Corinthians 4:17 says these light and momentary afflictions is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. We have a bright future. Our best days are ahead of us.

If I were to check the tracking number on your package today, what would it say? Your parcel has been lost in transit? Contact customer service.

Your parcel was damaged and returned to the depot.

Your parcel has arrived at the depot and is almost ready to be shipped?

Your parcel has shipped but due to unexpected circumstances will not arrive on schedule.

I hope that it would say, “Your parcel is in transit and is estimated to arrive on time” Or better yet “your parcel has arrived-signed, sealed and delivered!”

You are God’s precious cargo. Let’s partner with God by using our words to keep us on track and get us to our original destination.

Let’s begin to decree God’s word and will over our lives today.

References:

1 Wilkerson, Rich. “Work Your Weaknesses.” Elevation Church, 20 Feb. 2022, https://elevationchurch.org/.

2 Savelle Foy, Terri. “Where Were You Headed before the Storm Hit?” Terri Savelle Foy Ministries | Www.terri.com, 8 Mar. 2022, https://www.terri.com/.

3 Wilkerson, Rich. “Work Your Weaknesses.” Elevation Church, 20 Feb. 2022, https://elevationchurch.org/.

4 Savelle Foy, Terri. “Where Were You Headed before the Storm Hit?” Terri Savelle Foy Ministries | Www.terri.com, 8 Mar. 2022, https://www.terri.com/.

5 Wilkerson, Rich. “Work Your Weaknesses.” Elevation Church, 20 Feb. 2022, https://elevationchurch.org/.

6 Wilkerson, Rich. “Work Your Weaknesses.” Elevation Church, 20 Feb. 2022, https://elevationchurch.org/.

7 Wilkerson, Rich. “Work Your Weaknesses.” Elevation Church, 20 Feb. 2022, https://elevationchurch.org/.

8 Savelle Foy, Terri. “Where Were You Headed before the Storm Hit?” Terri Savelle Foy Ministries | Www.terri.com, 8 Mar. 2022, https://www.terri.com/.

9 West, Veronica. “I Will Not Stop until I Get What I Am Looking For.” Elijah List, YouTube Elijah Streams, 3 By Natalie Masucci B.A. B.Ed. OCT

Founder of Empowered Ministries International empowered_ministries on Instagram