Before we begin, I would like to share with you the meaning of the Holy Word: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105). This means that if we ever find ourselves in darkness—no matter the situation—the Word will guide and illuminate the way to our salvation.
Having said that, never in my life did I imagine that I, Clodomir Dos Santos Matos—a young man who came out of the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; a boy who suffered, who was poor, idle, and at times starving; who left behind a life of crime and gang activity—would one day be preaching the Word of God. But when the Spirit of God—the Holy Spirit—calls us, or rather causes us to be born again, something changes inside of us. A new desire awakens: the desire to help save others, just as we ourselves were saved.
Why do I share who I was before I had an encounter with God?
So that you, my friend who is reading this, may understand that it doesn’t matter where you are, what your situation is, or what pain or hardship you’re facing right now. The Word of God, which is the light for our path, teaches us that there is always an answer, a remedy, and a way out. The only limit is the faith we place in God and in His Word, which contains His promises—promises that He left for us to follow urgently.
As I mentioned earlier, I was just a young man from the favelas who faced great struggles—so much so that I once asked myself, How am I even here? The answer, to me, is clear: I am here by the mercy of God.
Like many of you, I became tired of seeing curses take over my life and my home. But the Lord sets us free from all of it.
Today, I am a bishop of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. I am married to my wife, Fátima Matos, and I am the father of two children, Israel and Camila. During my walk with God, I was responsible for the evangelistic work in Brazil between 2013 and 2017, closely accompanying the construction and inauguration of the Temple of Solomon in São Paulo, which was inaugurated in July 2014.
Currently, I am in charge of the United States and all the evangelistic work being done throughout North America since 2018. The Lord has allowed me to travel to different parts of the world to preach His Word. And, through the vision God has given me, I have been able to create several programs—originally produced in Spanish—including Habla que te Escucho (Speak, I’m Listening), Nuestro Tiempo (Our Time), Piense con Fe para Vivir Diferente (Think with Faith to Live Differently), and Problemas y Soluciones (Problems and Solutions).
I was also a presenter of Speak, I’m Listening, broadcast throughout Brazil on RecordTV (a Brazilian network), and in other countries through RecordTV International. I currently present Problems and Solutions, broadcast through the American channel Canal de la Fe 63.1 from Los Angeles to all of California and to other states such as Arizona, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas. On this program, the preaching is done in Spanish. I am also the author of three books: Evangelistic Messages Vol. 1, Evangelistic Messages Vol. 2, and I Survived.
Why do I share all of this?
So you can see and understand how God works in a person’s life. I repeat: I never imagined that I would be preaching the Word of God, considering the environment I came from. The Lord has done far more than I ever imagined, just as His Word says. That is the message I want to convey: that anyone’s life can be transformed through faith and through His Word. My life is a testimony of that.
What is my goal with Living by Faith (Viviendo por la Fe)?
To answer that, let me start with this: The Word teaches us, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
As I mentioned, my desire is to save souls through the Word, just as it is written: to inspire and transmit the Spirit of God to those who suffer, so they may understand that there is a way out of any darkness or shadow they may be going through.
To conclude, I leave you with this message: if you or someone you know is going through difficulties, I invite you to read or listen to Viviendo por la Fe (Living by Faith), because I assure you—you will find the spiritual answer you are searching for.
May God bless us all
