As I was washing my dishes one night after dinner, this song that I used to sing in church when I was younger suddenly came rushing to my mind. It was called Shake The Devil Off. It went like this, “Shake shake shake, shake the devil off….shake shake shake, shake the devil off….shake shake shake, shake the devil off….in the name of Jesus shake the devil off.” As I stood at my kitchen sink I found myself continuously singing this song. It was as though the Holy Spirit dwelling within me dug this song up out of my childhood and was encouraging me. When I realized that there was no way I could have remembered this song on my own, I sat down on my couch and began contemplating on what “shake the devil off” meant. Honestly speaking, I never truly understood the song when I sang it as a child. The more I began thinking about the phrase “shake the devil off”, the more I began to clearly hear God’s voice.
This month, God placed it on my heart to let every reader and listener know that He has already given you the power you need to shake the devil off. To those of you who may still be wondering like I was on my couch the night that this song came rushing to my mind, God wanted me to let you know that “shake the devil off” is His reminder to you of your ability to always walk in authority. It is God’s way of letting you know that you have already been fully equipped with exactly what you need to overcome anything you may face.
In the bible, there is a story in Matthew 4:1-11 NIV that talks about how Jesus is tested by satan in the wilderness:
In the bible, there is a story in Matthew 4:1-11 NIV that talks about how Jesus is tested by satan in the wilderness:
- 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
So how did Jesus “shake the devil off” or walk in authority when He was tested? By speaking the word of God in the face of the enemy. The bible tells us that the word of God is alive and active. It is sharper than any double-edged sword, and has the power to pierce through everything (Hebrews 4:12 NIV). This means that God’s word that He has blessed us with through the bible, gives us complete power and control over any situation that we are faced with. Isaiah 55:11 NKJV says, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” In other words, when God’s word is released, it will always produce fruit and accomplish exactly what God said it would do. When we begin to speak God’s word over our situation His angels begin to go to work on our behalf performing His word in our life and obeying it (Psalms 103:20 NASB). What I love about God is that God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. He has never spoken and failed to act and He has never made a promise and not carried it through (Numbers 23:19 NLT) so when we speak His word it has to come to pass.
In the same way that Jesus shook the devil off and walked in authority, God is calling you to tap into the power that He has already given you and shake the devil off through every trial and tribulation that you may come up against. God did not create you to walk in fear, God did not create you to mope around in pity, God did not create you to complain about what you can’t do or what you’re going through, God did not create you to possess a spirit of depression or uncertainty. No! The bible tells us to submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7 NIV). This means that the devil should be running from you in terror, not the other way around. You are more than a conqueror and God created you to be victorious in overcoming any and every situation you may come across. So in the name of Jesus, shake the devil off this month by walking in authority through prayer and with the word of God.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your powerful, unfailing, and fruitful word. You never cease to amaze us with the depths of your unconditional love for us. Your goodness overflows daily pouring out patience, kindness, faithfulness and so much more. We give you glory for being all that you are. We give you glory for introducing us to your eternal love. We give you glory for the fact that our life is in your hands. We give you glory for creating us to be all that you’ve called us to be. We love you, we honor you, and we adore you. This month, we desire to know you on a more intimate and deeper level than we’ve ever known you before GOD, so begin to break down any walls or barriers that we’ve built. Eradicate anything in our lives that would hinder us from being connected to you. Father we pray that this message transforms our thought process to reignite the power that you have placed within us. Give us a hunger and thirst for your word like never before stirring up our authority to stand on your word in complete confidence and walk in victory in every area of our lives. For we are confident that you hear us whenever we ask for anything that pleases you, and since we know you hear us when we make our requests, we also know that you will give us what we ask for (1 John 5:14-15 NLT). So Father, we rebuke passivity, timidness, fear, self-pity, hopelessness, depression and uncertainty in the mighty name of Jesus. We decree and declare that moving forward we will not give the devil a foothold in our lives (Ephesians 4:27 NIV). We speak life, we speak health, we speak wealth, we speak love, we speak joy, we speak focus, we speak peace, we speak new opportunities into existence right now God. Where one door is shut we declare that plenty of more will be open. We veto every plot of the enemy across the land during this season and we declare rapid healing, we declare greater unity, we declare a spirit of giving, we declare divine opportunities to expose others to you, we declare light in darkness, we declare that we will maximize our time, potential and ability to create. We declare that in this season, we will shake the devil off by boldly walking in the authority that you have blessed us with God. We will operate in dominion over every situation we may encounter. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your powerful, unfailing, and fruitful word. You never cease to amaze us with the depths of your unconditional love for us. Your goodness overflows daily pouring out patience, kindness, faithfulness and so much more. We give you glory for being all that you are. We give you glory for introducing us to your eternal love. We give you glory for the fact that our life is in your hands. We give you glory for creating us to be all that you’ve called us to be. We love you, we honor you, and we adore you. This month, we desire to know you on a more intimate and deeper level than we’ve ever known you before GOD, so begin to break down any walls or barriers that we’ve built. Eradicate anything in our lives that would hinder us from being connected to you. Father we pray that this message transforms our thought process to reignite the power that you have placed within us. Give us a hunger and thirst for your word like never before stirring up our authority to stand on your word in complete confidence and walk in victory in every area of our lives. For we are confident that you hear us whenever we ask for anything that pleases you, and since we know you hear us when we make our requests, we also know that you will give us what we ask for (1 John 5:14-15 NLT). So Father, we rebuke passivity, timidness, fear, self-pity, hopelessness, depression and uncertainty in the mighty name of Jesus. We decree and declare that moving forward we will not give the devil a foothold in our lives (Ephesians 4:27 NIV). We speak life, we speak health, we speak wealth, we speak love, we speak joy, we speak focus, we speak peace, we speak new opportunities into existence right now God. Where one door is shut we declare that plenty of more will be open. We veto every plot of the enemy across the land during this season and we declare rapid healing, we declare greater unity, we declare a spirit of giving, we declare divine opportunities to expose others to you, we declare light in darkness, we declare that we will maximize our time, potential and ability to create. We declare that in this season, we will shake the devil off by boldly walking in the authority that you have blessed us with God. We will operate in dominion over every situation we may encounter. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
Scriptures to Feed Yourself & Reflect On:
Matthew 4:1-11 NIV
Hebrews 4:12 NIV
Isaiah 55:11 NKJV
Numbers 23:19 NLT
Psalms 103:20 NASB
James 4:7 NIV
1 John 5:14-15 NLT
Ephesians 4:27 NIV