Article | - 10:59 am
Even When Faced With a Fall, a Mistake, a Failure, or Even Destruction, There Is a Chance to Start Again
Many people feel trapped in their lives, overwhelmed by problems, and longing for a chance to ‘reset’ and do things differently. But what happens when their suffering is the result of their own wrong decisions? They may find themselves without a family, a marriage, a job, or even their health. In such a scenario, despair can set in, leaving them with the terrible feeling that all is lost. But what if they knew they could be born again? The good news is that they can.
God is a God of new beginnings. As described in Genesis, He gave the world a fresh start after the flood. Throughout the Bible, there are numerous accounts of God allowing people who had made mistakes or whose lives were in ruins to start over. The Lord Jesus did the same when He was on Earth. Take, for example, the woman caught in adultery who was about to be stoned according to the Law. Jesus told her, “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11), offering her a chance to start anew.
Consider Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector known for his bad character, who decided to rewrite his story. When he learned that Jesus was passing through Jericho, his determination to see Him led him to climb a tree, catching Jesus’ attention. This encounter changed Zacchaeus’ life. He vowed to repay those he had defrauded and donate half of his wealth to the poor, transforming himself into a new man.
And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house…’ (Luke 19:9)
These examples, along with countless others throughout history, show that God is always merciful, ready to help those who have fallen, failed, or erred—even in ways that seem ‘unforgivable.’ His love and mercy remain, and He is willing to be with those who seek Him, as the Apostle Paul said:
…one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead… (Philippians 3:13-14)
Starting over is not easy, but it is possible. And to do so effectively, one must experience a New Birth—this involves recognizing one’s sins, repenting, and abandoning them. Water baptism symbolizes this decision. Afterward, seeking the Spirit of God is essential.
A Pharisee named Nicodemus once asked Jesus how a person could be born again, especially when they are old. Jesus responded:
…unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)
This New Birth involves a transformation—a new heart, a new mind, and a new beginning.
As Bishop Adilson Silva explains, when a person sincerely repents and turns to God, they remain in the same body but become a new person. The Holy Spirit is the essential agent in this divine action, bringing transformative power to those who wish to be born of God and live according to His will.
In the Holy Bible with Annotations of Faith by Bishop Edir Macedo, there is an explanation about baptism in water and in the Spirit: “Although it is the basic element of baptism in water—which is practiced by those who repent and desire to begin a new life—, it is not enough to produce the new birth. For this miracle to occur, the presence of the Holy Spirit is necessary. He is the essential Agent of this Divine action. He is the Source of cleansing water that flows into eternal life (4.14). In the Holy Spirit, there is power to transform those who desire to be born of God and live according to His will.”
Therefore, being born again marks a person’s life in a before and after. In the same way that the history of Humanity was marked into two parts after the coming of the Lord Jesus into the world, a person’s life is also divided when He enters it. “The only way for someone who has a crooked past, for a person who committed atrocities, to start over is to have Jesus come into their life. It is born from water and the Spirit,” observes Bishop Adilson.
Elton Franklin Vieira’s Story
Elton Franklin Vieira, 41 years old, says that, in the Brazilian city of Belém, where he was born, he got involved with smoking and alcohol early on and soon immersed himself in cigarette trafficking in Suriname and the Netherlands. He explains how it all started: “I was a pirate, also known as the skull. I worked with a probe with a navigator [marine locator], looked after boats, and knew the sea routes. My boss, seeing that I was growing, gave me bigger boats to bring more cargo to Brazil. So, from eight people, I became the leader of 16. I felt like a person who could command and dismantle, and I ended up being arrested for smuggling.”
The crack addiction took over Elton. Living on the street in Suriname, he asked for a ride on a boat to return to his hometown and looked for his mother to help him. However, she told him that she considered him to have already died. During this time, his suffering increased. “I thought about taking my life and even put a rope around my neck. After a year of living on the streets, an aunt from São Paulo bought a ticket for me to go to her house. I arrived there in a deplorable situation and, according to her, I looked like a primate. There, I saw R$300 on the table and, as soon as she turned her back, as I hadn’t taken drugs for three days, I took the money and went to the street. I ended up arriving at Sé, in downtown São Paulo, even without knowing the city,” he recalls.
He didn’t know, but that money, as he says, was tithe from his aunt, who attended The Universal Church and who was still determined to see a fresh start in her nephew’s life. Elton, in turn, spent all that money on crack and, after two days of getting high, returned to his aunt’s house all dirty. He says what happened, “She was worried, and said she had bought me some clothes. Then she took me to The Universal Church. I told her, ‘If this God you talk about, who changes everyone’s lives, doesn’t change mine, I’m going to leave here and do worse things.’ And she told me that I would leave there differently.”
The year was 2022, and Elton heard in the message that if he made a decision, his life would change. “I went in front of the Altar and asked God for help. And that’s how my fresh start began. When I left there, I was really different. When the urge to take drugs came, I would bend my knees and pray for God to take that urge out of me,” he says.
Attending the meetings, Elton was freed from addictions, baptized in water, and sought the Holy Spirit. “He then came upon me and, of everything I have achieved, He is the most precious I have. I’m a new man, I have a life, an honest job, and a blessed wife. My life is a testimony to those who are in the same situation as I once was, without credibility,” he says. He observes, “If there was a way for me, there is a way for you too.”
Vivian Ribeiro Trindade’s Story
Vivian Ribeiro Trindade, 42 years old, says that, as a child, she heard spirits talking to her. She remembers that her parents even called an exorcist priest in an attempt to help her, but were unsuccessful. She grew up full of health problems and, at the age of 19, as she reveals, she received the nickname ‘Powerful’ from friends, due to her work at the time, which consisted of traveling, getting close to famous people, and the fact that she had a relationship with the man she wanted, even taking resources from him.
“However, I was depressed and rebellious. I didn’t accept my parents’ instructions and so I left home early,” she says. After experiencing two frustrated relationships, she was dominated by depression and addictions. “Friends and college weren’t enough, so I started using drugs in secret and prostituting myself for free, thinking that, after the act, that sadness would go away. But it only got worse,” she says.
Vivian reports that at this stage the suicide attempts began and that she soon got into a relationship to try to alleviate what she felt. But the situation only got worse. “We got engaged and, with the wedding already scheduled, I discovered that he was cheating on me with transvestites and had a double life as a prostitute. I suffered a lot, I put an end to that relationship, and the depression returned with strength”, she declares.
Thus, Vivian returned to practicing what dominated her. “Drugs and alcohol seemed to no longer work, so every day I was with a different man, addicted to sex, and had lost my worth. I remember that I spent 15 days without sleeping, just drinking and taking drugs,” she says. Vivian also heard voices telling her to kill herself. “On a busy avenue, I tried to throw myself in front of a car. However, the driver braked in time and said I had to seek God,” she recalls.
The next day, Vivian wrote a suicide letter. Walking along Avenida Celso Garcia in São Paulo, she tried again to throw herself into traffic but was stopped. She was taken to the Temple of Solomon. “When I noticed, I was already there and listened as if my entire life was being spoken at the Altar. That meeting was for me and at the Altar, I handed in the suicide note and, with it, my life. That night, I managed to sleep—something that before I could only do if I was drunk or drugged,” she says.
Vivian heard from God that there was a way for her life and that, for that, there must be a New Birth in her. So she seized that opportunity, abandoned the past, and was baptized in water. Soon, she was set free from depression and began to seek the Holy Spirit. “I sought the Divine nature and received it. I was molded into a new creature. The Holy Spirit showed me who I was and who I no longer wanted to be. I stopped being nervous, explosive, extravagant and started over. Today, I have life, peace, and joy and I no longer need drugs and drinks. Before I was called ‘Powerful,’ which was a lie, but today I know the true Power that is the Holy Spirit.” She declares that she has a blessed health and a happy marriage.
To start over, it’s crucial to leave the past behind, learning from mistakes but not dwelling on them. God’s promise is clear:
Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:18-19)
Even if you feel disheartened and powerless, know that there is hope. As the Bible says,
For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, Yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant. (Job 14:7-9)
Forgive those who have hurt you, forgive yourself, and seek forgiveness where needed. Most importantly, seek God’s mercy and His Spirit every day. Bishop Adilson advises, “The first step for anyone who has fallen, made mistakes, and wants to start over is to believe in what Jesus said: ‘Whoever comes to me, I will never cast out’ (John 6:37). The first step is to believe and, if you are far from God, return to church.” So don’t delay this chance. Start over and embrace the new beginning that God offers.
The doors of The Universal Church are open 7 days a week with daily services. For information on locations, please click here, call 1-888-332-4141, or text to 1-888-312-4141.
Contributors:
Kelly Lopes (Translated and Adapted)
