On Sunday 17th April 2011 I had the privilege of participating in the Baptism of Rex Jefferson-Taite. He knelt in the blue waters of a baptismal pool in Grace Canberra (Belconnen) after testifying to the transformative power of Jesus Christ in his life. His wife Renee followed him into the pool and rededicated herself also!

I first met Rex eight years ago at Grace Canberra (Civic). Kerry Denten and I attended a prophetic training day at Men of Honour (with Noel).

He wandered away from the Lord about three years ago, and found himself ensnared I all manner of addictions (including cocaine, amphetamines, marijuana, alcohol and cigarettes). But a month ago his estranged wife Renee was diagnosed with lymphoma – a cancer developing in her lymph glands. (She is now receiving chemo treatment). This event shocked him, because a few months before, the Lord had whispered to Rex, “Cancer is coming.” He naturally assumed that God was going to punish him for his disobedience. Never imagining it would be Renee who had also slipped into the world, caring more about physical fitness than spiritual fitness.

Three weeks ago he was completely transformed in his soul and sovereignly delivered from all his addictions and has entered into weekly discipleship meetings with Brian Medway – his pastor past and present.

I had lunch with Renee & Rex and it was wonderful to see their friendship being restored as well as their personal transformations. Rex said to me, “I was never really saved. I came into the Kingdom sideways – first becoming a proselyte Jew, then becoming a “fulfilled Jew” and believing in Christ as Messiah. But I never laid down my life and never really had victory over the old man.” That is, until yesterday!

“Brian can see shadows of what the future might look like. But we are not going to join the dots, nor guess what the shadow mean. That’s a recipe for disaster – putting my own interpretation on what God has designed and desires. There’s no use making sense of my future by looking at the past. Everything has been made new.”

If only more of us had that wisdom!