Jim Cymbala says that "trouble is one of God's great servants because it reminds us how much we continually need the Lord."
Cymbala, pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle Church in New York, tells of one of his greatest trials in his inspiring book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire and how persistent, united prayer pulled his oldest daughter Chrissy from the clutches of Satan.
By the time Chrissy rebelled, Cymbala had already been through some tough times which turned him, his family and his church to prayer.
Years before, he had been on the verge of burnout with a tiny congregation of less than 25 and no money when his in-laws invited him to Florida to recover. While there, he was tearfully pouring out his desperation to God one day when he sensed the Lord telling him to pray and seek him and he would show him what to preach and provide him with all that he, his family and his church needed.
When he returned to Brooklyn, he told the congregation that the Tuesday night prayer meeting would be the "barometer of our church". As people sought God in prayer, the Lord would move.
"No matter what I preach or what we claim to believe in our heads, the future will depend on our times of prayer," he said to his few listeners.
The results were indeed amazing. People flocked to his church, becoming believers. Many broken people were healed - some from severe drug problems.
But these blessings drove Satan to attack Cymbala's family through his daughter Chrissy.
When she turned 16, her rebellion began. She eventually left home and her family often had no idea where she was. She turned to drugs and lived with a boyfriend. This went on for well over two years.
Cymbala admits he tried everything - begging, pleading, cajoling and even trying to control her with money. He recognizes now that he was foolish in doing this.
The toll on Cymbala and his wife Carol was tremendous.
He wept as he drove to church on Sundays, wondering how he could minister to others when his whole heart was preoccupied with Chrissy.
After surgery for a hysterectomy, Carol Cymbala was particularly depressed and told her husband that they would have to leave New York to protect their other two children. But she agreed to stay.
Even a good friend told Cymbala he should give up on Chrissy.
At this point, Cymbala felt God was telling him to do nothing further except to converse with God - in other words, he was to live what he was preaching on the power of prayer. So he began to pray with growing faith that God would act.
Finally, at a Tuesday evening prayer gathering at Brooklyn Tabernacle, a woman in the auditorium sent Cymbala a note saying she sensed God wanted them to pray for Chrissy.
He stepped forward to the microphone and asked the congregation to pray for his daughter. People responded by praying all together - fervently - for Chrissy. Cymbala said "there arose a groaning, a sense of desperate determination" as the people prayed to rescue the young girl from Satan.
That Thursday morning, Cymbala was shaving in the bathroom when his wife rushed in to say that Chrissy had returned home.
He hurried down to the kitchen, finding his daughter on her knees. She begged his forgiveness and her mother's and God's. Cymbala pulled her to her feet and they hugged and wept together.
Then, she asked her father: "On Tuesday night, Daddy - who was praying for me?"
She said that on that night God had woken her and showed her she was heading toward an abyss and there was no bottom. She was frightened. But "at the same time it was like God wrapped his arms around me and held me tight" and assured her he still loved her.
Chrissy went on to Bible college, married a young pastor and became very active in her own church.
Jesus promised his followers that they would face trouble. But he also promised them he would be with them always.
Like Cymbala, we can expect trouble.
May we respond the way he ultimately did - by turning to God for help.
Cymbala, pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle Church in New York, tells of one of his greatest trials in his inspiring book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire and how persistent, united prayer pulled his oldest daughter Chrissy from the clutches of Satan.
By the time Chrissy rebelled, Cymbala had already been through some tough times which turned him, his family and his church to prayer.
Years before, he had been on the verge of burnout with a tiny congregation of less than 25 and no money when his in-laws invited him to Florida to recover. While there, he was tearfully pouring out his desperation to God one day when he sensed the Lord telling him to pray and seek him and he would show him what to preach and provide him with all that he, his family and his church needed.
When he returned to Brooklyn, he told the congregation that the Tuesday night prayer meeting would be the "barometer of our church". As people sought God in prayer, the Lord would move.
"No matter what I preach or what we claim to believe in our heads, the future will depend on our times of prayer," he said to his few listeners.
The results were indeed amazing. People flocked to his church, becoming believers. Many broken people were healed - some from severe drug problems.
But these blessings drove Satan to attack Cymbala's family through his daughter Chrissy.
When she turned 16, her rebellion began. She eventually left home and her family often had no idea where she was. She turned to drugs and lived with a boyfriend. This went on for well over two years.
Cymbala admits he tried everything - begging, pleading, cajoling and even trying to control her with money. He recognizes now that he was foolish in doing this.
The toll on Cymbala and his wife Carol was tremendous.
He wept as he drove to church on Sundays, wondering how he could minister to others when his whole heart was preoccupied with Chrissy.
After surgery for a hysterectomy, Carol Cymbala was particularly depressed and told her husband that they would have to leave New York to protect their other two children. But she agreed to stay.
Even a good friend told Cymbala he should give up on Chrissy.
At this point, Cymbala felt God was telling him to do nothing further except to converse with God - in other words, he was to live what he was preaching on the power of prayer. So he began to pray with growing faith that God would act.
Finally, at a Tuesday evening prayer gathering at Brooklyn Tabernacle, a woman in the auditorium sent Cymbala a note saying she sensed God wanted them to pray for Chrissy.
He stepped forward to the microphone and asked the congregation to pray for his daughter. People responded by praying all together - fervently - for Chrissy. Cymbala said "there arose a groaning, a sense of desperate determination" as the people prayed to rescue the young girl from Satan.
That Thursday morning, Cymbala was shaving in the bathroom when his wife rushed in to say that Chrissy had returned home.
He hurried down to the kitchen, finding his daughter on her knees. She begged his forgiveness and her mother's and God's. Cymbala pulled her to her feet and they hugged and wept together.
Then, she asked her father: "On Tuesday night, Daddy - who was praying for me?"
She said that on that night God had woken her and showed her she was heading toward an abyss and there was no bottom. She was frightened. But "at the same time it was like God wrapped his arms around me and held me tight" and assured her he still loved her.
Chrissy went on to Bible college, married a young pastor and became very active in her own church.
Jesus promised his followers that they would face trouble. But he also promised them he would be with them always.
Like Cymbala, we can expect trouble.
May we respond the way he ultimately did - by turning to God for help.
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