Dear Bishop Macedo!

First of all, I would like to say that if it weren’t for the mercy of God, your faith and sacrifice, I would not be alive, let alone saved!

I was born into a traditional Catholic family, descendants of Portuguese and Indians. My great-grandmother had two sons, who were cardinals of the Roman church. Because of this tradition, I grew up thinking that one day I would also be a cardinal.

At the age of 8, my parents enrolled me in a Catholic boarding school in the town where I was born. I dove head first into my studies so that this goal would be accomplished. During my adolescence, I began working closer to the parish priests. I became an altar boy as a child and even said novenas, the rosary and prayers.

When I was about to enroll in High School, I was transferred to the state capital, to continue my studies in a bigger and better school. During this period, I was taking classes in theology, philosophy and liturgy – all within the parameters of the Vatican. After two years in this academic and religious routine, I had serious health problems and, over the months and years, I also began to have spiritual problems. I started hearing voices, seeing shadows, seeing fire in the eyes of the statues. I would see the pews shake and had constant headaches, which were so strong that I couldn’t stand seeing any light. I reached a point where I tied wires around my head to try and alleviate the pain.

During this time, I moved on from being a seminarian and became a novice. I went to live in Minas Gerais – Brazil, to be part in meetings and retreats. But before leaving Goiás – Brazil, I met an elderly lady, who used to work for me and everyone else who lived in the building. I don’t know how it happened, but one day I simply opened up and told her everything that was happening in my life. I used to be was very arrogant, angry, proud and abusive towards people who were subordinate to me, but I was unable to mistreat or humiliate her. I did not know, but she was a member of the Universal Church, which I used to call Protestant church.

After spending some time in Minas Gerais, I returned to Goiás. My health, character and faith worsened. I started having constant blackouts. I never had any inclination to homosexuality nor paedophilia, despite having seen some sexual deviance happen among close acquaintances.

I would consult my spiritual director, and he would tell me that I had to consult a good psychiatrist, because my problem was normal, and that the shadows and voices would disappear through parapsychology. I tried it, but had no avail: I got worse, to the point where I was out of my mind. I did not even know where I lived (though I was standing in front of my house) or who I was. Yet, I continued conducting mass, studying, teaching and travelling.

During the last year that I was a part of the Roman Church (having already taken the temporary vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and about to proceed to the perpetual ones), from a total of seven, it was the worst year of my entire life. All that I have mentioned so far, about suffering, distress, depression, diseases and disorders, seemed to have multiplied and the lady that I spoke about earlier, told me that for many years, she had been doing Campaigns of Israel and Chains of Prayer on Fridays so that I could be delivered from the evil spiritual forces and also for me to be born of the Holy Spirit.

She told me that she always anointed my clothes with the oil from Israel and used the consecrated salt on my food. A few times, some pastors and prophetesses from evangelical churches tried to talk to me, but I sent them running with a broomstick because I hated believers, and they could not get anything out of me. No believer of any other denomination could talk to me, but because of this woman’s faith, perseverance and sacrifice, to who I’ll also be eternally grateful, my mind was opened and I used my intelligence.

So, I wanted to make the decision to leave the Roman Church forever and seek my deliverance. It was a huge inner struggle, but I managed to take that step and leave. For three months, I would pass in front of the UCKG but would not go in, ashamed, thinking that if one of the parishioners saw me there, I would be lost, and because nobody knew that I was listening to Bishop Macedo’s message every night on the radio. So I used my head and said to myself: “I have nothing to lose! Nobody cured me or set me free so far”. And the worst thing was that, though I did everything the Roman Church said for me to do, I was not sure of my salvation.

It was on a Wednesday that I decided to go for the ‘all or nothing’ at the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, which at that time was suffering a terrible persecution from Globo TV and the Roman Church. That night, the service, which lasted about 45 minutes, seemed to be all for me. The pastor spoke about idolatry, and at the end of the service, he asked who wanted to be baptized in water. I do not know how to explain it, but at that moment, something changed inside me. I decided to leave everything and seek a new life, especially spiritually.

I said to myself: “I’m done with this, I’m kicking the Vatican out of my life and surrendering myself to the living God.” I got baptized! I started making the chains of prayer every day. I would often go to church and come back on foot, a total of a five hour walk. During the strong deliverance prayer, I would tremble like a leaf and felt as if a huge weight was being taken from my head and my whole body. I did not fully manifest, but I was definitely possessed by evil. What freed me completely were the Sunday and Wednesday teachings. I was completely cured – mind, body and soul (but especially my mind). The fire of the Holy Spirit came and changed my character, my temper and confirmed my salvation. My name was written in the Book of Life and I received the crown of life.

An important detail: when I left the Roman Church, I apparently left quietly, but when my family told them that I had been baptized in UCKG, they were furious and threatened me by saying that I should be careful with my words, or else there would be very bad consequences for me and my family.

My whole family was also very angry about my new faith, so much so that my father threatened to take my name out of his will, saying that if I did not leave the UCKG, I would not be recognized as his son anymore, but as the black sheep of the family.

But I never doubted my baptism and continued firm in the faith! However I must confess, I was under attack from everyone and everything for an entire year. They would send me messages through my family, attempting an intervention. When the head cardinal saw that I was determined about my faith, he changed tactics. He started offering jobs, a high income and new property. They offered all this for me to be a Roman soldier again, although not as a priest, but as an active layman.

They even said I could go to the Baptist, Anglican or Presbyterian churches, but not the UCKG. I did not answer any of the messages they sent and did not attend any of the alleged meetings they scheduled, because I was aware that it was a trap from the deceiver.

I started to work and live a normal life. Apparently, they stopped chasing me. After my deliverance, I joined the evangelization group because a desire to evangelize grew inside me – which I did not have before, due to all the frustrations. During this time, I was sealed with the Holy Spirit, and a while later, I was raised as an assistant. Little by little, a real and conscious love for the suffering, with no career plans, was born in me. When the pastor in charge of that state called those who had the desire to leave everything behind and give their lives as an offering, I decided to accept. I was raised as an assistant pastor.

At that time, I was dating an assistant, who is now my wife. When she came to the UCKG, I was already an assistant. I helped her through her deliverance process and new birth. Incredibly, it really was without any ulterior motive, because at the moment, I had no idea she was my better half.

After two years as a single pastor, I got married and by God’s mercy, we were consecrated some time later. We served in the capital and in rural Goiás. Even as a UCKG pastor, I also suffered some persecution from some superiors, who said I was a Jesuit in disguise, and that one day I would betray the church. They said I was a fake and that I was undercover for the Jesuits.

After a while, they were the ones who betrayed the Church, playing the role of a Jesuit.

After six years in Brazil, the Holy Spirit sent us over to the Dominican Republic and we have been here for seven years, fighting to save souls. Now, at the beginning of year 2013, the Holy Spirit is sending us on another challenge: save souls in America, and to witness the glory of our God, the Almighty of Israel.

Today, if I fight to deliver a soul, it’s because I am free. If I fight to save them and bring them to JESUS, it’s because I am saved and I am in Christ. If I fight to restore a family, or a marriage, it is because I have a family and a marriage.

I want to dedicate these words to those who are suffering what I suffered, or even worse, and perhaps, because of pride, a catholic person or even evangelical religious traditions, made the decision not to seek with all their strength and sincerity a total deliverance and new birth in the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. I say this because it was because of an intelligent faith that I overcame the curse of religious rancid!

“Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” John 3:5-7

“who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,” 1 Timothy 2:4-6

May God bless you all!

Pastor D. Cleiton Siqueira.