Shut Up, Devil!': Can Evangelist's New App Really Help You 'Silence Satan'?

There's a new app designed for both iPhone and Android that promises to offer users the "power to silence Satan" — an intriguing prospect, to say the least.

Created by evangelist Kyle Winkler, founder of Kyle Winkler Ministries, the "Shut Up, Devil!" app offers  topical scripture messages that Christians can use if and when they find themselves in a spiritual bind.

"'The Shut Up, Devil!' app is inspired by my own journey through spiritual warfare," Winkler told TheBlaze. "A couple years ago, I awoke to a series of condemning thoughts and nagging accusations, reminding me of my every sin since potty training. The constant negative thoughts made me feel disqualified to be used of God, and nearly caused me to walk away from ministry."

Believing he was under "spiritual attack," Winkler said that the entire experience gave him a new-found understanding of scripture — and that he subsequently found himself looking for ways to keep his focus on Christianity's core salvation message.

Image source: ShutUpDevil.org

"I turned to Scripture as a way to help. Throughout the Bible, it refers to the importance of Scripture to help with renewal of the mind and in spiritual warfare," he said. "The Psalms instruct us to meditate upon scripture day and night (Psalm 1:2). And those who have observed Jewish people doing this know that this involves speaking it."

Winkler shared some examples of men in the Bible, including Jesus and Paul, who used scripture to push back against the devil, noting that speaking Bible verses aloud helps keep Christians' minds focused on Christ, while warding off "Satan and his minions."

So, he launched the "Shut Up, Devil!" iPhone app last October and an accompanying Android version last month in an effort to equip Christians with the tools that he believes they need to stay grounded and fight off negative feelings.

The platform allows users to search for verses based on specific subjects like "anxiety" and "discouragement" and to set alerts and reminders to read targeted verses aloud.

The name of the app, he said, is rooted in Christianity's core message.

"I chose 'Shut Up, Devil!' [as the name] because I believe it's a modern way to describe what happened at the cross," Winkler told TheBlaze. "That is, as Colossians reveals, the cross canceled the record against us, which ultimately silences the accuser. When you speak Scripture aloud, you remind Satan of His defeat at the cross, which ultimately declares, 'Shut up, devil!'

Watch Winkler describe how the app works below:

The evangelist, whose book "Silence Satan: Shutting Down the Enemy’s Attacks, Threats, Lies, and Accusations" releases next month, said that there have already been 9,000 downloads and that the reaction so far has been overwhelmingly positive.

For example, Winkler claims one user told him that she has suffered from suicidal thoughts and depression, but that the app has positively impacted her attitude. And he's hoping others experience the same reprieve by using it.

"It’s my hope that people will use the 'Shut Up, Devil!' app to proactively keep their minds focused on godliness so that they don’t fall to temptation," he said. "But also, so that if they do, they will be able to pick themselves up with the Word of God, which assures that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin and puts us in right standing with our God who loves us."

Find out more about the app here.