“I’m Gone!”
“I’m Gone!”
Brother Verbal Bean put his arm around my shoulder in a conspiratorial manner, as we walked from the Dining Hall. For the third time that week of Hoosier Camp Meeting, he asked. “Brother Marty, tell me that story about the devil again.”
I was an Associate pastor with my Father, Carl Ballestero, and greatly revered Brother Bean. In my heart, I wasn’t sure if he was having more fun laughing at me, or at my story. Nevertheless, I began.
“I was twenty years old and preaching a revival in East Texas. One night during the altar service, a young single woman began to demonstrate signs of demon possession. She was always on the platform during service. She was a “Praise Singer” and also sang in a trio with the Pastor and his wife.
“This girl was well liked by all. I was greatly surprised at the demonstration. It was completely out of character for her. The saints were gathered around crying and praying. Some were giving prayerful support to her astonished parents.
“The Pastor asked me if I would go pray for her. (I later wondered why he didn’t pray for her and ask me to join him, but I was an evangelist and just did what I was told.)
“ I knelt down beside this young woman and began to pray very earnestly. “Satan, I command you in Jesus name to come out of her, she’s not yours, she has been bought with a price.”
“A low voice growled back at me, ‘She is too mine!’
“Without missing a beat I said, ‘How did you get her?’
“I stole her.” The voice said.
“I said, ‘Devil I rebuke you in Jesus Name. I command you now to release your hold on her. You will be bound for a thousand years, and I bind you now in Jesus Name. Come out of her!
“A high pitched, innocent sounding little girl’s voice sweetly said, “I’m gone!”
“Devil,” I said, “you’re a liar. If you were gone, you wouldn’t be talking to me. Now come out of her in Jesus Name.”
At that part of the story, Brother Bean started laughing so hard that he crumbled to the grass in hysterics. He rolled over on his back and with complete excitement. His arms and legs up in the air thrashing like a locomotive, while tears of laughter ran down his cheeks.
“I’m Gone! I’m Gone” I’m Gone!” He said and then laughed some more.
I stood there grinning, looked at the most esteemed evangelist in Pentecost. He was too weak to stand, and completely enjoying experience, my discomfort and my spiritual ineptness.
Till he passed, whenever he would see me at a Convention or a Camp, he would look at me with a big grin and say, in a high falsetto, “I’m Gone!”
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- Me beside Bro. Bean’s Memorial marker between Starks & Lunita, LA
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- Bro Wayne erecting a Memorial at Bro. Bean’s crash site.
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- Bro. Wayne, from Bro. Shields’ Church, Starks, LA
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- L-R Myself & Pastor Jeremy Shields
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- Bro. Verbal Bean
Apostolic Expository Series
Christy Ballestero (My Beautiful DIL)
http://marciaballestero.com/
Pastor Anthony & Kim Ballestero, New Destiny Worship Center, Clearwater, FL (My Son)
Pastor Bryan & Christy Ballestero, Temple Of Pentecost, Raleigh, NC (My Son)
James Groce Blog – "Toward The Mark"
Kenneth Bow Blog
Kingdom Speak Podcast
Philip Harrelson – "The Barnabas Blog"
Verbal Bean Ministries
Holy Ghost Radio
The Ballestero Blog 
Thank you for that story.
Steve Epley
February 8, 2011 at 11:13 am
That was funny!!!! Kind of like my piano story!!
Did you hear about the big heavy set woman who had a devil and the preacher was trying to cast it out.. the preacher said, “come out in Jesus Name!” The devil spoke out and said,”I’ll come out for a cookie!!!” 🙂
paula
February 8, 2011 at 11:48 am
That is so funny! It is even way more funny to HEAR you tell it. That is great visualing Bro. Beans reaction….LOL
Ramona
February 8, 2011 at 12:13 pm
I love it. Dad would enjoy hearing you tell about how the congregation thought she was delivered, until they realized you were still talking to it.
Especially loved Brother Bean’s sense of humor. He would laugh over the craziest things. Ahh… I miss him and his ministry so much.
Nila Marxer
February 8, 2011 at 3:20 pm
Well, I sure hope that devil finally came out of that girl?? 🙂
That was funny, imagining Bro Bean reacting to your story like that! 🙂
Patsy
February 8, 2011 at 6:18 pm
I wish we would have told that story at Bro Bean’s memorial service this past year! Ramona is right tho….no one call tell the story like you can! If Bro Bean liked a story or a phrase, he would get all the good out of it! Ahhh, but I miss hm!!! Thanks for telling the story & for the pictures of a wonderful man of God & my former pastor, I am proud to say!
Carlene
February 8, 2011 at 10:33 pm
I think one of the things in life that I regret the most is that I never knew Eld. Bean! I have always heard so many wonderful things about him but I never heard him preach that I can remember. Thanks for this story. It showed me another side of this amazing man of God!
Crystal Smith (Morris)
February 9, 2011 at 2:58 pm
Brought me to tears laughing just reading it! 🙂
Linda
February 13, 2011 at 1:36 am
Loved the story! Its great to hear that Bro. Verbal Bean has a great sense of humor! Rolling on the ground and all!! Love it!!
Donald Swann
June 25, 2013 at 10:14 pm
I’ve read Verbal Bean’s books on Prayer and going through it again and The works of The Holy Ghost. That one about 3 times now. They are POWERFUL! Need to get The Battlefield. Could you tell me how to order it?
Thank you, Bro Larry Cieslak.
Larry Cieslak
June 20, 2022 at 10:35 am
I don’t truly know, but I heard a Brother Steven Carrier wrote the book
Martyn Ballestero
June 29, 2022 at 6:40 pm