Good afternoon, Bishop!

I returned to my Father's house on the 28th of January.

For almost a year, I was involved in the world of crime. I sold drugs and betrayed my wife, I was completely destroyed. I was an assistant for one year. During this time, I lost my mother. She was the pillar of our family and my son was only 4 months old.

Moved by the circumstances, I fell for the first snare the devil used to deceive me. It was from 11Am to 11Pm. This is when I asked to leave the Work of God. I did not trust in God, and look what happened.

In short, during the Fast of Daniel I received my Comforter. I repented with all of my heart. The meeting on the 7^th was very strong for me.

I was baptized in water. It was so strong that I thought I had also been baptized with the Holy Spirit. I am never going to forget that day! On the 14^th, a miracle happened. It was very strong.

I only manifested once. The pastor that is responsible for the "Rescue" here in Bahia – Brazil prayed for me once and I was delivered. But the shortest way for this to happen in my life was through sacrifice.

I started listening to everything that was being preached and began to let go of certain material things. I started surrendering myself to the Holy Spirit, because nothing else was worth it for me.

I started to give. First it was the tithe, the pastor preached about what we represent to God. After this, it was one success after another! I often say that without sacrifice you can just forget it: it is impossible!

A person comes to God, and their offering represents what lies within them. In fact, it represents who we are to God.

To say that we believe in God is easy, and I am not just talking about giving our offerings, I’m talking about sacrificing all of our lives.

I thank God for having the opportunity to share my experience with others. On the 14^th of April, I was certain that this would happen. I believed in what said that day. If I could have been dressed in a new outfit, I would have.

I felt like a woman on her wedding day. When I got off the bus, near the church, the tears already began to roll down my cheeks. I could not control it, I did not know what was happening, it was inexplicable. This God is powerful! There are many things still to tell.

I returned because of my wife’s faith. She determined it during a Tuesday meeting, that next time I would be there sitting in the chair next to her, and we were separated at the time. That same week, the police almost killed me. I went into a wooded area, where I used to pray, but this time I was there to be killed. But, from inside the trunk, I cried out to God: I called out to Pastor Vicente’s God and to Bishop Macedo’s God. I asked God to send the same angels that serve these men of God and that if they did not touch me, I would leave that lifestyle. I asked God to make them forget that I was inside the trunk of that car, and that's what happened.

Today, I am unable to repay the Holy Spirit all the days of my life. I was supposed to be in hell right now, but the mercy of God found me.

Thank you, Bishop, for everything!

Where would we be if it were not for God and the Universal Church! May the Holy Spirit restore your strength!

We aren’t worthy of all the things we have received from God through you. I don’t have enough words to express my gratitude. We have no idea what we have.

Thank you, Bishop! GOD bless you.

Joao Paulo dos Santos

In Aquiraz, Ceará (Brazil), Mrs. Tarcília Bezerra wanted to expand her nightclub because it was constantly growing after she implemented unemployment insurance for fishermen and various other kinds of grants.

In response, the local Universal Church began a strong campaign to prevent the expansion, with prayers held in the church in the morning, afternoon and evening.

The expansion and renovation progressed rapidly until a week before their reopening, when a lightning bolt struck the nightclub, igniting the electrical installations and causing a fire that destroyed the roof and much of the construction.

After the nightclub was destroyed, the pastor and Church members began to brag about "the great power of prayer."

So Tarcília sued the Church, the pastor and the entire congregation, on the grounds that they "were responsible for destroying her building and her business by directly or indirectly using divine intervention”.

In response to the lawsuit, the Church vehemently denied any responsibility or connection to the damage that was caused to the building.

The judge to whom the case was submitted, read her complaint and the defendants rebuttal, and, during the initial trial hearing, said:

- I do not know how I'm going to judge this case, but one thing is evident. HERE IS THE OWNER OF A NIGHTCLUB, WHO STRONGLY BELIEVES IN THE POWER OF PRAYER AND AN ENTIRE CHURCH STATING THAT THEIR PRAYERS ARE NOT WORTH ANYTHING! "

It is very important to talk about this subject. I had bad experiences because I had doubts and satisfied my flesh.

I lost my virginity in a disgusting way.

I was in a relationship with a guy who fought with me all the time because he did not want to wait until marriage to be intimate. It was six months of loneliness, anguish and many tears. Because we did not come into agreement, we would break up and then, in a matter of days or weeks, we would get back together again.

I did not want to lose him, because I thought I loved him very much. I thought: "What if I take a chance and sleep with him? It will only be this one time... "

Important detail: I had been going to Church every week for more than five years. But I did this as a routine, I gave my tithe, did my purposes, wouldn’t miss one Sunday service... But lived a troubled life, went to parties and had an awful relationship. I thought that if I surrendered my life to God, I would become a radical Christian, and I didn’t want to be like that.

I was afraid to deny my flesh and do the will of God, but I wasn’t afraid of suffering and embarrassing myself as a woman. I was afraid to be alone; I was filled with fleshly thoughts. I never saw porn videos, but I was overcome with curiosity.

One day, after several attempts, I could no longer resist and decided to sleep with him. When I got back home, I felt so dirty and impure... I was even ashamed to look in the mirror. I shed a few tears, but not enough to repent, because I continued the relationship.

A month later, I became tired, tired of constantly thinking about everything that was happening, because I felt so empty and disgusting... I prayed, but there was no strength in my prayer, there was no desire to seek God, or to read His Word. It was as if I was alone, so I decided to give up my boyfriend, the parties, the thoughts and those DESIRES.

The FAST OF DANIEL came and I decided to do what I had never done before: surrender my life 100% in the hands of God, and bury my flesh. I kept hearing that God was good and loving, but I didn’t understand, I couldn’t understand why He had such love for me – an impure sinner.

The fear of being alone ended. Today, I don’t even think about it. The doubts are gone and my void was completely filled. Today, I understand that there is no man, no greater love, nothing, NOTHING greater than God's love. He is the Man, He is the One who will not disappoint you, even though we are full of flaws.

And I want to share this with as many people possible: It is wonderful to have the assurance of Salvation. The God’s LOVE is amazing, and many times, we exchange it for nothing, for the filth and garbage of this world. Often, people chosen to suffer rather than be happy, be happy with the One who gave us life and understands us better than anyone else, IT IS NOT WORTH IT!

Today, I no longer live for myself; instead I live for God. Today I'm alone, but very, very happy because the peace and joy that I possess is true and eternal.

May God bless everyone, and use you even more to open the eyes of those who are blind in this world of darkness.

Desiree - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

“Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. So he went up to him; and there he was, sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him: “Man of God, the king has said, ‘Come down!’ So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.”

2 Kings 1.9-10

While meditating on this passage, we see that while we are on the hill (Altar) we are OUT OF THE DEVIL’S REACH, we become untouchable. And besides that, everything we determine happens.

Knowing this, the devil, will obviously suggest to the servant of God the same thing he suggested to Elijah, "Come down”. Once the person decides to come down the hill, this is, remove his life from the Altar, he is completely at the mercy of the devil. And it is important to note that removing your life from the Altar does not necessarily mean leaving the Church, but to stop sacrificing.

How many people are in Church, supposedly serving God; however, the devil has walked all over them?

He said: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (...) With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation”. Psalm 91.1,16

Wouldn’t the secret place of the Most High be the Altar, where its inhabitants cannot be affected by evil? And isn’t there a similarity between this place and Mount Hermon, since God promises blessings (longevity) and life forevermore (Salvation) in both places?

Collaborated by: Sandro Silveira – Paraguay

Note: This Sunday (19^th) at 6Pm, I will be talking about this subject "Faith and Sex" in Avenida João Dias, 1800 - Santo Amaro (SP) – Brazil. I'll be answering some intriguing and sensitive questions that were posted on this blog.

Unless we receive another direction from the Holy Spirit.

God bless you!

Bishop, this is a very important subject, which has also caused me to have many doubts. It is good to know that you will be talking about this on Sunday, because it won’t be like a "sermon", but an actual teaching.

I used to be an assistant.

I fell away from the Work and God for reasons that are not worth remembering, because, thank God, I have put them all behind me. But, while I was "fallen away” I did terrible things: I was terribly promiscuous, I was sexually compulsive for while, I arranged sexual encounters online, I couldn’t go one day without having sex – sometimes I had sex more than once, twice, three times a day. There were days where I didn’t have sex and it would be "hell", because I would think about sex from the time I woke up until I went to sleep and then, I would have to masturbate.

This is as much of a sickness as a drug addiction, because it takes over your life and causes you to lose any sense of respect for yourself. Often, after the "act" was done, usually with guys who I had never seen before, I felt "dirty", "disgusted", "nauseous", "hurt", the worst of all women, but when the "uncontrollable urge" came, all this dirt, disgust and sorrow passed and gave way to the desire to be the person God did not make me to be.

But, one day I woke up.

God charged me for all this and, since He is a Father, He gave me a new opportunity, and I was "rescued". Today, I am here to say that it is difficult, but when we want the Holy Spirit, He acts in an extraordinary way, transforming us into new creations. It is not easy in the beginning, but I would kneel and the only thing that came out of my mouth was "Lord, kill MY FLESH!"

That was all I said, because the will of my flesh was strong. But, today I can say – not that I have become a cold woman, no, that’s tied up! – that what I nourish is my spirit. So I know that my fleshly desires will be under control, which I can only enjoy after I get married – if that is in God's plan for my life, but I will remain firm, strengthening my spirit – because I never want to go back to where I came from!!

Thank you for your teachings and thank you for always listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, to the point where you were chosen as the man of God to give us another chance to be Saved!

In faith,

A friend

**************************************************

Bishop, this issue certainly makes people very intrigued.

I have always had many questions about sexuality and what we can and cannot do with our partner, etc. But I believe that when a marriage is anointed by God, the wife seeks guidance and clarification, the husband respects and understands, and things can be resolved between the couple.

When I was apart from God, I lived my life based on the desires of the flesh. Though I was married, I looked for other ways to satisfy my flesh. I had an extramarital affair, which I regret very much, but this is part of a past that has been overcome. I enjoyed looking at girls that were used by the devil, who took advantage of their sensuality to lure men in.

There were several times when I was having sex with my wife and thinking about them. As I am writing this, I could see just how disgusting it was and how it caused me to be far from God's presence. My thoughts were completely dominated by the devil.

I must admit that it was not easy and it hasn’t been easy. Every day is a constant struggle to get away from the desires of the flesh and the devil's schemes, but for those who want and persevere, God always has a plan for those who seek Him, destroying all of the devil’s plans.

Today, I realize how much I was used by the devil, to the point of almost destroying my marriage, which today is blessed by God. This was all conquered with perseverance in God's Word and through many purposes and prayers.

May God enlighten us all.

A Friend

**************************************************

Bishop,

I am going to pray that God uses you to make people understand that this can only be overcome when we are born of God, because that is how we overcome the world. There is no other way.

Those who do not understand this, cannot be born of God. Those who are not born of Water and the Spirit, will never see the Kingdom of God.

It is written! This is how it is!

When you are born of God, you begin to see things the way He sees them. When you are of the flesh, you think that your sexual problem is solved with marriage. If marriage solved intimacy problems there would be no betrayals, divorces...

People think: "I am going to get married and be free from temptation”. But this will not happen. If you want to get married to have sex, go ahead and get married. But do not think that you will no longer be tempted. If being promiscuous while single is bad, being promiscuous when married is even worse.

If it is worse, the devil will want it to happen more often. If the devil does not cause the person to fall when they’re single, he certainly has a strategy to bring them down once married. Or haven’t you see people betray their spouse? Being born of God is the remedy for those who are single, married - good or bad - widowed, etc.. etc.. etc ...

This is how I see things, I was single and now I am married – happily married. I will live like this. For it is written: "Without Me you can do nothing”. If we are not born of God, we will not overcome the world.

However, this is not meant as criticism for those who want guidance.

Keferson

**************************************************

Note: This Sunday (19^th) at 6Pm, I will be talking about this subject "Faith and Sex" in Avenida João Dias, 1800 - Santo Amaro (SP) – Brazil. I'll be answering some intriguing and sensitive questions that were posted on this blog.

Unless we receive another direction from the Holy Spirit.

God bless you

1 – Bishop, based on your experience as a married man of God, what should a man do when his wife refuses to be intimate with him? Especially when the man is converted, but his partner is not?  

Answer:

The Holy Spirit is a guide to those who are true believers. I doubt that when He is invoked with all of your strength, you will not find a solution. However, in His absence, it will certainly be hard to resist.

2 - Bishop, what should widows who had an active sex life do if they really loved their husbands, but are now alone – they can’t and don’t want anyone else, or rather, they are unable to love someone else – they would rather be alone and lead quiet lives, with God?

However, there are times when strong sexual desires surge, a real torment, a real war against a fleshly need. I would even say that it is a physical need (since they already had an active sex life), they think about masturbation, which is a form of relief, but they think it’s a sin before God – a conflict between reason and fear of God. With all this, should they continue to suffer? What should they do bishop? What do you advise? I’ll await your response.

Answer:

My opinion is that if a widow or widower prefers to be alone and lead a quiet life with God, then why get married? Why would you chase after problems if you don’t have any?

"…but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” 1 Corinthians 7.9

But do not wait to solve any intimacy problems and get caught on the Devil’s hook, trapped in a hellish marriage.

Problems will always exist. You get rid of one today and tomorrow there will be another one. Be careful not to live frantically searching for solutions and ignore the faith of salvation!

The Lord Jesus warns:

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16.33

3 – Bishop, until today, I have not met an unmarried man who is able to resist a woman’s advances, and walk away unharmed. It is easy for those who are married to say: You have to resist!' 'You have to wait!' We live in a colorful world, a world of nothingness... What is the secret to overcoming these temptations once and for all? Can someone share his or her experience as a single person? I need help.

Answer: And you are never going to meet that person. However, when it comes to salvation of the soul, it is better to live under a cold shower than muddy a good conscience and neutralize your faith.

When a person is born of water and Spirit, there is nothing like reading the Bible to erase any blaze of sexual desire.

In addition, "... God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. " I Corinthians 10.13

Note: There is no way of living in this world without having to endure afflictions.

Whether you are filled with the Holy Spirit or not, it does not matter, afflictions will always comes, until we die.

4 - Bishop, I am unable to maintain an alliance with God. I can’t even remain a faithful tithe giver of the House of God. Help me.

Jeane Castro

Answer:

Confessing that you are not able to keep your alliance with God just shows that you have not considered it important in your life.

Jeane, if you're sweaty, filthy and stinky, are you able to put off taking a bath until a later time?

I doubt that anyone or any other matter would prevent you from taking a bath right away, right?

I doubt that if you are starving, you can calm down your stomach until a later time.

The same goes for the Salvation of the soul. There is no way that you can put it on the back burner until later.

Therefore, when you say that you are unable of maintaining an alliance with God, it’s because it has not been as significant in your life as the other things.

If you continue to think like that, you will never be saved.

Note: This Sunday (19^th) at 6Pm, I will be talking about this subject "Faith and Sex" in Avenida João Dias, 1800 - Santo Amaro (SP) – Brazil. I'll be answering some intriguing and sensitive questions that were posted on this blog.

Unless we receive another direction from the Holy Spirit.

God bless you!

Sheyla asks:

Bishop Macedo, I need advice.

I have been living with a man for about five years. I am evangelical, but he doesn’t believe in anything. He is constantly mistreating me with harsh words and he has even hit me and his 2-year-old son.

He always listens to what his family has to say and because of that I haven’t been delivered yet, or had a real encounter with God.

Bishop, please help me because what I want the most is to have an encounter with God and get rid of this sadness and suffering. I still love him, but I'm not happy with him – or rather, I never was. Help me; please give me some advice.

Mount Carmel, a chain of mountains that face the Mediterranean Sea, was the scene of a major confrontation. Elijah came from the mountains of Gilead and was raised by God during a time of idolatry, during the reign of King Ahab. This prophet was formed in the desert and was thrown into a furnace of affliction, but he came out stronger because of this experience:

- Confronting King Ahab on Mount Carmel, calling him a troublemaker;

- Confronting the people who were wavering on the fence, with their hearts divided between the Lord and Baal, and

- Confronting the prophets of Baal, calling them to a challenge.

On this mountain, Elijah had a glorious victory over his enemies.

On this mountain, the people of Israel recognized, by crying out, that the LORD is the only God.

At the top of Mount Carmel, Elijah got down on his knees and prayed for rain, after three and a half years of drought. God heard his cry, and torrents of water descended from heaven, bringing Restoration and Abundance to the whole nation

This is what we will be doing on May 14^th: a great challenge, at all of the Universal Churches, taking your petitions to this Holy Place.

Transcript of the video:

My drought was my alcohol addiction

It all started with going out to parties, drinking socially

A drink here, another drink there…

But that addiction caused me a great inconvenience

Because it led to financial problems

And for me to escape the problems I had, I delve deeper into the addiction

I thought that it was the only way I could relax

And not think about the problems I had with the bank, credit cards, loan sharks

Justice officials knocking on my door, repossessing my car

Feeling embarrassed in front of the neighbors

And with this, the drinking became more frequent in my life

I couldn’t really relate to someone unless I was drunk

I had to drink before work, at lunch time…

Then I had to disguise the smell of the alcohol

I left work and drank again

Before getting home, I would drink again

My greatest sorrow was knowing that I was getting home and my wife was already there, waiting for me

And I would already be annoyed with so many problems, I would drink again

I would often verbally abused my wife

I broke everything in the house

Everything came at once: the alcohol problem, debt, other problems, I couldn’t sleep, I had road rage…

I swore… I fought with everyone…

I bought whiskey, as long as I had whiskey, I would be drinking it

I drank a whole bottle at night to be able to sleep

I was in an induced coma for two days because of the alcohol

The money was running out, ending

But I continued going out and drinking

I didn’t have money to eat

It was all an illusion that I put on for my neighbors,

It was momentary

I reached the point where I didn’t have food to eat at home

They shut off our water and electricity

To the point where I took my daughter, and told my wife to take her to my mother-in-law’s house

Because we didn’t have enough to eat

I would spend the day working and drinking water with sugar

And it wasn’t the good sugar either

I always worked with sales and shopping centers

I would take a coffee filter from the kiosk

Grab some water from the water fountain and that is what I would eat all day long until I went home

I came home, but I always had enough for alcohol

I always had something

So my life was a torment in this area

Until I went to The Universal Church and challenged God

From that day forth, things started to change

I was delivered from the addiction

My relationship with my wife changed

I no longer fought in traffic or at work

My whole life changed

I have my own house

My house is 240 square meters

With exceptional furniture

And everything is paid for,

When I say that I it’s mine, it’s because I already paid for it

And before it belonged to the bank

It was not mine

Today, I have my car, which is paid for

I have my truck, also paid off

I am autonomous

I work in the area of transportation

And today I always have jobs to do

And in the other areas, I've also been benefited

All of them are good

I have many clients

Today, our family is wonderful

Today, we are happy

I know the results I saw in my life were because of the challenge I did

"Then one of the servants answered and said, ‘Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.” 1 Samuel 16.18

Mighty: in his interior, because physically, he was just boy.

Of valor: willing to face anything.

Prudent in speech: prudent, moderate, sensible and intelligent.

Man of war: his weapon was faith. He refused the weapons of this world (armor).

Until then, David had never gone to war. Had no battle experience.

How could a person who had never been in a war have these qualities?

Answer: HOLY SPIRIT.

Notice how they were only looking for a harp player, and look at all the qualities they found in a man!

Since the beginning of his calling until the last days of his life, he did not consider his possessions to be his.

"O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name is from your hand and is all Your own. I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things..." 1 Chronicles 29.16-17

For David, his greatest treasure was his faith.

"Then Abram fell on his face and God talked with him, saying:“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised." Genesis 17.3-10

When God proposed making a covenant with Abram, He also made wonderful promises, but He had one requirement: circumcision! This was a sign that would remind Abram of his covenant with God. In other words, he would have to control his sexual impulses, and know that sex, within the parameters of God, is something clean and pure. The child born of the promise would be a result of his relationship with Sara, and not of an extramarital relationship. As long as Abram kept his part of the deal, God would be with him.

We live in a time where sexual perversion reveals how far mankind is apart from God, especially because we hear of so many things that are happening. It is man with man, woman with woman, man with animal, spousal swapping, and other things that we have no idea are taking place.

The devil found the perfect way to bring down those who are on the altar of God. Since he cannot destroy their faith, he found a way to make man break his covenant with God. This is why he attacks people’s love lives. We can even go as far as saying that the door of hell is called LOVE – not true love, but this 'feeling' that drives mankind to practice abominations in search of sexual pleasure.

How can you rob the faith of a pastor, bishop, assistant or someone who is born of God?

The devil figured out how to do it and has driven many to live a double life, thinking that no one will ever find out their "secrets". They make themselves out to be someone before the church and society, but behind closed doors, they support promiscuity, fantasies and think that everything "good" they do for God will justify their mistake. But the truth is that God has already walked away from them since the first time they broke their covenant with Him.

Those who want to keep a covenant with God must protect themselves and surrender their life to Him. Those who are married must take good care of their spouse, and those who are still single should preserve their body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Temptations will come, but there is nothing like a cold shower to solve that problem!

It is imperative that we run away from any situation that may put our relationship with God in danger. If during the time of Abraham, God asked him to get circumcised, imagine what He would ask from us nowadays?

Collaborated by: Pr Walber Barboza