7. What would you share with young leaders who are interested in launching prayer movements in other parts of the world?
Just do it! You’ve got one life to live. I often think of an awesome quote by a woman named Joan of Arc, who turned a nation through faith and out of the power of being led by God’s voice. She said: Every man and every woman give their lives for what they believe. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing, and they give their life to that little or nothing. One life is all you have; you live it and it’s gone. But to live without faith is more terrible than dying, even more terrible than dying young.
If God has put a dream in your heart to mobilize prayer, do it and do it prayerfully. Lay hold of God for His strategy and find out what His ways are for your nation. How God did it in Canada isn’t necessarily how He’s going to do it in Kenya, India, Australia or elsewhere.
God has a strategy. He has a template. His army – as the Book of Joel tells us – is led by His voice.
Pray and get God’s strategy. And when you get that strategy, step out and watch God make the water solid under your feet.
8. As a local, national and international leader with a heart to effect change for the glory of God, how do you handle critics and criticism?
The Bible makes it really clear: Bless those who curse you and pray for those who despitefully use you. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: Blessed are you when people insult, falsely accuse and revile you, and do all these kind of things to you for my Name’s sake – for righteousness’ sake – for great is your reward in Heaven. For me, I actually get excited now.
In some nations, persecution is unto death. Other nations – like my nation – you might have the national media saying stuff that isn’t true. But if we keep our eyes on Jesus and we remember that great is our reward in Heaven, then it actually puts you in a position where you can get excited about it.
When stuff starts coming against us, I see that as an opportunity to show God’s love and to grow in authority. Every time we forgive; bless when people are cursing us; focus our eyes on eternity instead of on ourselves and our reputation; choose to go higher and fix our eyes on Heaven and eternal things, we grow in the Spirit, in authority, in Christ’s likeness. It is an incredible witness to those around us.
Fix your eyes on what the Word of God says, but also knowing that you have an eternal reward if you walk it out in love and humility. I have never in my whole journey so far seen a Christian leader that walked in love, humility and forgiveness and didn’t increase in authority in the Spirit realm, as well as in favour and influence in ministry.
When you are walking in God’s way – whether it’s glorious, easy and full of favour on this side of Heaven or brutally hard at times – if you live for the other side for His pleasure, then you will grow in authority and gain treasure on the other side.
9. The Lord has recently blessed you with a life partner. How is married life going and what lessons can you share with young couples or those who are about to embark on the journey of serving God together as husband and wife?
We actually had really good advice given to us by Kate Hess, who is married to Tom Hess. They serve in Jerusalem. Kate said: Every couple has a rhythm of Heaven. Just pray that you find God’s rhythm for your life and for your calling together.
If you are going to join yourself to somebody for the rest of your life, it is important that you are marrying someone who wants to give everything to Jesus and just go for it, and that your values are matched. Then lay hold of God in prayer to lay the foundations in prayer and to decree into your life together; into your marriage; into your future; into your children.
Faytene with husband Rob
Rob and I have spent times where we have prayed over our children that are not even conceived and loosed in the Spirit Kingdom essence into our future and into our relationship through prayer.
Pray that you find the rhythm of Heaven.
The rhythm of couples that are similar to Rob and I in terms of gifting is different, and how they do life together as a couple and before Jesus is really unique. Just like we are all individuals as individuals, we are individuals as couples.
But there is a rhythm of heaven that God has for every single marriage. When you find and commit to staying in that vein in honouring one another’s differences and one another’s strengths; in covering one another’s weaknesses; forgiving; being open in communication; learning the art of compromise and all these great things that we have learned, then you will enter into that spiritual zone where one can put a thousand to flight and two can send legions fleeing.
Marriage is great. It makes you more like Jesus and there is a rhythm that will lead to exponential power. So as a married couple, really seek God to find that rhythm.
10. In closing, are there any thoughts, passions or desires that the Lord has placed in your heart concerning the Body of Christ that you would like to share with GTH readers?
At the top of my heart in terms of primary things to share is that time is short; life is short; and even if you have 120 years on this earth, it is still a vapour in comparison to eternity.
It is clear that we are entering into a zone that many believe is the end of the end times; the signs are all around us. Jesus is coming again. We don’t know if He is coming in our generation or soon thereafter.
But we do know this: We are called to live as though His return is imminent. This is the hour where we need to be possessed with His will and purpose. Ask Him to fill us with His nature, with His power and to literally live lives that are given over to the King because time is short.
We have an opportunity to give Jesus things in the realm of time that once we cross over into that eternal realm, we will never be able to give. We can pray; we can worship by faith; we can bring souls into the Kingdom; so I would just say that time is short.
Get focused on God; on serving Him, loving him and living every day as though it will be your last.
If you knew that it is your last day on Earth, and if there is anything you would change and you would say “Ya, I would change this,” or “ya, I would change that,” then what is holding you back? Change it now because the Bible is clear that we are not guaranteed anything beyond this moment, and life is a vapour.
Let’s give it all to Jesus!
There are many lessons to glean from Faytene’s exhortation. What will you take away from this as you seek the Lord for His heart for your nation?
