As I was reading this book “Approaching Hoofbeats” by the late Billy Graham, I came across this testimony which I would like to share with you. He wrote this on page 117-119:
Thousands have mercifully been delivered from satanic power and the occult through faith in Jesus Christ. One example is Ron Baker, who lives in Australia.
Ron was an abused child, beaten almost daily – twice with barbed wire. So he grew up to be an abusive husband and father. He had a terrible stutter, could neither read nor write, was a hopeless drunk, a drug user, and into the occult. He had a wife, Beryl, and two sons, all of whom he treated badly.
In 1959, during the Sydney Crusade, a builder who was doing construction work on their house and who happened to be a Christian, invited Beryl to the meetings. That night I preached on the home. I made the comment, “Every child has the right to a Christian home.” Beryl was converted that evening, went home to a drunk husband and said, “I gave my heart to Jesus tonight.” He watched her all weekend and noticed the difference in her.
Although Ron could not read, he had learned to make out road signs and had gotten a job as a bus driver. During the Sydney Crusade, he found that sometimes he had to drive busloads of people to the crusade meetings. When this happened he would sit in the bus until the meetings was over – hating every minute of his wait. But one day a fellow bus driver asked if Ron would trade assignments with him; the other driver wanted to go to the meeting that night. This meant Ron would have the evening off, so he accepted with pleasure.
Usually, on the way home, Ron’s car “automatically” stopped at the pub, where he would have plenty to drink before going home. This night, for some reason, he drove past the pub and arrived home sober – just in time to meet the friendly builder, who was there to invite Ron to go to the meeting with him. Ron heard himself accepting. But he made sure that he sat on the top bleacher, in the farthest seat from the platform he could find.
That evening when I gave the invitation, I did something I don’t usually do. I said, “We’ll sing one more verse. I’ve the feeling there’s someone sitting on the back row who, if he does not come forward and make his peace with God tonight, will have lost his last chance.” And Ron Baker found himself standing down in front of the platform.
When the young counselor opened his Bible to counsel with him, Ron said, “Don’t bother, son; I can’t read.”
So the counselor gave him three verses to go on: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23); “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:28); and “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9).
Ron lived on these three verses for the next two or three years. During that time,he met two Catholic sisters who “tucked him under their wings”and taught him how to read. He was delivered from alcoholism, drug use and the occult. After learning how to read, he worked his way through Bible school by driving a bus, then went through seminary. After seminary he pastored a church for about ten years, but since that time has been holding evangelistic meetings and is one of Australia’s outstanding evangelists.
His two sons became Christians, married Christian wives and have established Christian homes. Just this past spring he welcomed his first little grand-daughter.
When his own sons had been born he had been too drunk to go to the hospital to see Beryl. But this time, when his son called and asked him to come over and see his little grand-daughter, he drove all the way, thanking God that he was sober enough to drive to welcome her.
Perhaps you, the reader of this book, know someone who is in the grip of a demonic power or entrapped in a monstrous cult. There is hope. There is deliverance. There is forgiveness and restoration. Ron Baker not only was delivered, but he rose from negative living to the positive life and is being used to bring hope and encouragement to thousands through radio and television, and in public meetings. It could happen to you or your acquaintance who may be “caught” in the snares of Satan.