How to Pray to Keep the Devil Away

James 4:7 says, Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. The only way to keep the devil away is by submitting yourself to God and resisting the devil’s temptations. You have to surrender yourself fully to God and obey Him when He prompts you, especially during the enemy’s provocations and temptations. We are all spiritual warriors of God, and we are facing spiritual warfare daily, whether some Christians are aware of this or not. The Bible was clear that we have a spiritual enemy, as the Apostle Paul said, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). Jesus also said The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

You must be so rooted in the Word of God, obedient to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and firm in your convictions to follow the path of Jesus no matter the attacks of the enemy. You will surely keep the devil far away from you this way. The devil hates it when a Christian is sold out and all out for God alone. When there’s no double-mindedness in you, no appetite for worldly things, and no bitterness and offenses, the enemy is frustrated because he knows it’s going to be tough to get access to you. Jesus showed us this example when He said, “…For the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30). When the enemy has nothing inside us, it keeps him away from our lives.

So, as you pray to God to keep the devil away, you may ask Him to submit your life to God and reveal the things you still need to repent in case there is a doorway in your life that may give access to the enemy. You can find a powerful scripture to pray and declare as this is one powerful and effective way of praying. For instance, Psalm 139:23-24, Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. You can pray in this manner:

Heavenly Father, I humbly come before Your presence. As I submit my life to You, surrendering all my ways and will, I thank You that Your hand of guidance and protection is upon me. You know my heart, and You see my all thoughts. Search me and see if there is any wicked way in me that I can repent of. Lead me to the right path, for I desire to live a pure life before You because it is Your will, and I love You, ABBA, in Jesus’ name.  You evil spirit or devil, leave right now in the name of Jesus. This temple of mine is the temple of God, you have no right to be here. Be gone. Amen.

How do you pray against the enemy?

To pray and come against the enemy and its works in your life and other people’s lives, you must pray according to your authority in Christ Jesus. You can check out this article, “How to Pray with Authority,” to know more. As you engage in spiritual warfare intercessions, you must know who you are in Christ and be led by the Holy Spirit to be effective. There are many ways to pray against the enemy:

1. You rebuke it directly or cast the devil out in the name of Jesus.

In the Gospel, you can read many times about how Jesus rebuked and cast out devils in people’s bodies when it came to healing. You can also rebuke and cast it out in your marriage, family, finances, business, etc., where the enemy is at work.

2. You declare the Scripture.

As mentioned earlier, declaring the Scripture is a powerful way of praying, especially against the enemy, because God’s word is God’s will. Heaven is always moved by what is decreed and declared by the Word of God.

3. You must not just pray, but fast as well.

There was an instance in the Gospel where the disciples couldn’t cast out a demon, and Jesus told them that such an entity could only be cast out by prayer and fasting (see Mark 9:29). Fasting is important in our spiritual walk.

4. You must truly believe that your righteousness comes from Christ and that your prayers are powerful and effective because He is in you. James 5:16 says, Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

5. Believe in the power of the name of Jesus.

It doesn’t work to pray and rely on your authority or how anointed you are, but it works when you believe in Jesus’ name and His authority that is at work in your life. When it’s all about Jesus, the demons tremble. 

6. You must live a life that is sold out for Jesus.

Spiritual warfare is no joke. When you engage in it and are really serious about casting out the devil’s work in your life or someone else’s life, you must hate what God hates. The enemy is serious about warfare, and you cannot cast it out or rebuke it effectively if you are only half sold out for the world and half sold out for Christ.
As you study the Scriptures, especially the life of Jesus Christ in the Gospel, you can learn so much about authority and power against the devil. Jesus showed us that it is possible to live an abundant life through Him (see John 10:10). As long as we abide in Him and His Word, no harm can come to those who believe in Jesus’ name.