I started having gastric pain at 12 years old, and was always told by my doctor and family members to eat on time and avoid certain foods. Four years ago, the condition worsened and I would experience pain almost monthly, and especially during examination periods.

After graduating from university, not only did the pain not go away, it got even worse. I would have gastric pain at least 2 to 3 times a week, with each episode lasting for 4 to 5 hours. No oral medicine could ease the pain.

At that time, I felt like the weary and tired youth described in Isaiah 40:30. My colleagues from a polyclinic I worked at often suggested I go for an endoscopy. I knew they were telling me to check for cancerous growths. But I was fearful and worried about having some serious hidden medical condition.

During that period, I remembered that Pastor Prince had encouraged us to go for check-ups if it was necessary. Hence, I decided to go for the endoscopy. I also had a blood test done to check my thyroid markers to make sure it wasn’t a thyroid problem.

During the endoscopy, I could hear the doctor’s conversation with the nurses. He mentioned multiple times, “Take a sample of this.” I was so afraid because I thought if there was no abnormal growth, why would they need to take samples? I thought I had a cancerous growth and was going to die.

I shared this with my church leader, who encouraged me to listen to sermons and partake of the holy Communion. At that time, I was not really listening to sermons nor did I know the significance of the holy Communion. But I did what she recommended. About a month later, I received the endoscopy report. There was no growth found! Praise the Lord!

The doctors could not find the cause for my frequently recurring gastric pain and suggested that it might be due to a stomach disease that affects 1 in a million people, or irritable bowel syndrome. Meanwhile, I continued to listen to sermons every day while travelling to work. I began to understand why the holy Communion is so important and that I already have my because Jesus paid for it on the cross.

Having been a science student, my first reaction to experiencing any symptoms was to look them up! I depended on medicines, vitamins, and health products, and I used to have a huge collection of bottles of vitamins and gastric medicines. But 1 day as I was clearing my desk, I decided to throw all of them away as I felt in my spirit that the holy Communion was the one thing I really needed.

Since then, I’ve not had any gastric pain episodes, and I can eat anything and everything I want! There were moments when I felt bloated, and I would question the Lord and doubt I was completely healed. But the Lord showed me 2 verses through another of Pastor Prince’s sermon. One was Deuteronomy 28:7, which says, “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.” The other was 1 Peter 5:8, which says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

Whenever I experienced bloatedness, I would remind myself it’s just a toothless roaring lion trying to scare me. It may come before my face, but it will surely be defeated. Because of what Christ has done for me, I am so sure of my position in Him, and this has brought me freedom from sickness and uncertainty in life!