Set Free Under the Peach Tree

For ten years, epilepsy was a part of my life. It dictated my routines, my choices, and my fears. It was the shadow I could never quite shake, the constant reminder that something in me was broken. I had spent years seeking solutions—doctors, medication, lifestyle changes—but nothing ever truly freed me. And then, on an ordinary morning, sitting under a peach tree in my backyard, I encountered Jesus in a way that changed everything.

It wasn’t a grand moment of unwavering faith. I wasn’t standing on a mountaintop proclaiming victory. I was worn down, exhausted by the relentless attacks, the unpredictability, and the limitations epilepsy placed on my life. I had tried everything except one thing...pure, unfiltered faith in Jesus’ promise to heal.

That morning, I did what had become routine. I pulled out my symptom journal, the one I kept for my neurologist, and began to write down the previous day's symptoms. Each entry was a reminder of how epilepsy ruled me. But as I sat there under that peach tree, pen in hand, I heard the voice of Jesus clearly:

"You are not your epilepsy."

I froze. The words were simple, yet they shattered something deep within me. For years, I had claimed epilepsy as part of my identity. I had unknowingly woven it into the fabric of who I was. Jesus wasn’t just speaking about my condition. He was revealing a truth I had never grasped before.

I began to converse with Him, pouring out my fears, my frustrations, my doubts. And as I spoke, He revealed how I had let epilepsy define me. It was no longer just an illness I carried. I allowed it to become part of my name, my story, my identity. But that was never His will for me.

So I did the only thing I could do. I asked Him to heal me.

My faith in that moment wasn’t mighty or bold. It wasn’t the kind of faith that moves mountains in an instant. It was small, hesitant, but submissive. A mustard seed of faith, placed entirely in the hands of the One who could make it grow. His presence fell upon me. It wasn’t a gradual awareness; instead it was an overwhelming, undeniable encounter. I knew with every fiber of my being that I was healed.

I stood up, walked into my house, and threw my symptom journal into the back of my cupboard. I never took another pill again.

But once I received my healing the enemy wasn’t done with me. He came back, whispering doubt, trying to convince me that the healing wasn’t real, that I needed my medication. He tried to bring symptoms back, hoping I would claim them as my own.

But something had changed. My faith, once small and fragile, had taken root. It wasn’t just faith in healing; it was faith in the One who heals. I knew what had happened under that tree. I knew that Jesus had healed me. And so, every time the enemy tried to deceive me, I declared the truth: "Jesus healed me. My healing is complete. This is not from God." It was in that battle, in the daily choice to stand in faith, that my relationship with Jesus deepened. Faith wasn’t just a one-time act; it became an active, living force in my life.

When you encounter Jesus, you cannot remain the same. His truth transforms, because once you know the truth, the enemy’s lies lose their power.

That day under the peach tree was not just the day I received healing, it was the day I began to seek truth in every area of my life. If Jesus had spoken truth about my healing, what other truths had I been missing? I dove into Scripture like never before. I searched the Word not just for comfort, but for revelation. I wanted to know what Jesus said about every aspect of life. I had spent years declaring things over myself that were never His will. Now, I wanted to declare His truth instead. Because here’s the thing: You cannot declare victory over a truth you do not know exists.

John 8:31-32 AMP

So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples. And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin].”

In other areas of my life I struggle to stand in faith because I didn’t know what God had truly said in His Word. We hear the enemy’s lies louder than we hear the voice of Jesus. We declare fear instead of faith, bondage instead of freedom, sickness instead of healing. We do this simply because we haven’t sought out the truth. But once you know the truth, everything changes. That is why I search the Word. That is why I declare Scripture. That is why I refuse to let anything define me except what Jesus has spoken. Because when the battle comes, and it will come, the only thing that will keep you standing is knowing what God has already said.

I share this testimony not to highlight the size of my faith but to reveal the greatness of the One I placed it in. Faith is not about how strong we are, it is about who we trust.

The smallest step toward Jesus is met by His mighty presence.

May this bless you as it blessed me.