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First let me state, this is part 1 of a several-part series. We all know what human trafficking is, but what is soul trafficking, a term I’ve originated? Human trafficking is the illegal exploitation of individuals through force for prostitution and other forms of servitude. Soul trafficking is the spiritual exploitation of those who have fallen under the spell of a persuasive religious personality or cult leader. Simply put, soul trafficking is a form of witchcraft in the church and among unsuspecting Christians.

I refer to this form of involuntary human utilization as soul trafficking because it is mind control of the soul by manipulating the emotions and feelings of vulnerable individuals. Soul traffickers may range from eastern gurus who claim a quick path to god-consciousness by meditation, to certain dynamic Christian personalities who engulf their followers in an emotional environment which discourages independent, critical thinking. That can be witchcraft.

Consider soul trafficking in the world of the occult and the New Age. No rational individual could believe that standing in a witch’s sacred circle, drawn in the dirt with an athame, sacred sword, could conjure something helpful. No incisive thinker would be hooked on a belief that planets millions of miles away could exert influence on those on earth born under a certain arbitrary star sign. Or that extraterrestrial aliens of a higher consciousness and intelligence have something to say to us down here. Hogwash. But occult soul traffickers keep going back to this same cesspool of spiritualism to contaminate sincere souls. As Deuteronomy 4:19 warns, “Take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them.”

The theologies of Christian soul traffickers are widely divergent. But the practical result is groupthink, homogeny in theology. The process of soul trafficking usually centers on teachings that appear to be new and unique, simple answer to perplexing questions. Questions like, “Why am I not prospering financially? Why am I not healed? What is God’s will for my life? Why aren’t my prayers answered? These are honest and legitimate questions every Christian has. Most preachers won’t consider the possibility that demonic bondage might be involved. So, enter the soul trafficker to answer honest inquires with simplified solutions. The trafficker offers a concise explanation based on some new revelatory, prophetic insight that will resolve everything. Just follow the prescribed spiritual formula and life will fall into place emotionally, financially, physically, spiritually, even politically. DO THIS (whatever “this” is) and all will be solved. No curse breaking, no deliverance.

But there is a price to pay when a Christian falls prey to a soul trafficker. The soul trafficker has formed a soul-tie with the seeker. When the bait is taken, the unsuspecting individual has become an extension of whatever the trafficker offers. If this is hard to understand, think Jim Jones, David Koresh, Sun Myung Moon, Hare Krishna, or further back Joseph Smith Junior of the Mormons and Charles Taze Rusell of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Beware the witchcraft that works through soul traffickers who want your allegiance in exchange for an undisclosed control over your mind. Heed the warning of 1 Thessalonians 1:5-6: “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit.” To quote Paul, before you fall prey to a soul trafficker, consider what kind of man, or woman, is among you. Be watching for Part 2 when I explain how soul trafficking works through the concepts of “instant karma” and dubious “words from the Lord.”

I could write a book on all the names of demons that I, as an exorcist, have encountered. Some demons have garden-variety names connected to human foibles like anger, lust, pride, rejection and so on. Other demons, which are principalities and rule over many demons, have nominal designations. Their names constitute a unique identity. Examples would be Lucifer, Leviathan, Baphomet, Asmodeus. But I’ve learned in spiritual warfare that certain evil spirits are connected to ancient spiritual characteristics. Such is the case with the demon I’m going to refer to: Discordia.

An individual to whom I was ministering had lived in chaos most of her life. There had been little stability in any manner, mentally, emotionally, sexually, intellectually. Mostly, this was no fault of her own. Her childhood family life was as dysfunctional as had been her adult life, filled with broken relationships and substance abuse. During the exorcism I was performing on this individual, I demanded to know what demon oversaw all this disorder and confusion. The evil spirit said, “Discordia.”

Discordia was an ancient goddess known as Eris to the Greeks and Discordia in Greco-Roman mythology. She represented chaos, conflict, rivalry, and disruption—anything that shattered harmony and caused discord. She was the embodiment of animosity and was said to rage incessantly. Interestingly, she had a son named Strife, from which we get our designation of conflict and quarreling. Does this sound like your marriage? Your family of origin? Your relationships with people who try to get near to you?

Admittedly there may be many psychological and behavioral factors that create discord and strife. But sometimes discord is demonic. Here are the words of James 4:1-2: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.”

In Romans 1:29 the apostle Paul includes discord in an extensive list of detestable evils: “sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, strife.”

Among false cults there is even an anarchic religion called Discordianism which is centered on the idea that both order and disorder are illusions imposed on the universe by the human nervous system, and that neither of these illusions of apparent order and disorder is any more accurate or objectively true than the other. The demon Discordia obviously inspired this strange belief.

Discordia is an ancient evil goddess and a very real demon. If you find yourself constantly embroiled in disputes or victimized by the contentiousness of others, it may be due to circumstances or, as we say, “being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Or it may be that the demon Discordia lurks somewhere in your bloodline. In that case you need counseling on behavioral management, and you may also need an exorcism of the demon Discordia. Contact us at boblarson.org. We can help.

A few days ago, as I was leaving my office after a brief visit, I saw an SUV backed into a parking spot directly in front of the exit door. My eyes were immediately drawn to the SUV license plate which read: CURSED1. My home state of Arizona allows such self-descriptive plates for a fee, so long as they don’t display profanity or hate. But this person’s plate was an egregious example of self-hate. I assume that by the number 1 the owner meant the word “one” as in CURSED ONE—O-N-E.

I took a quick photo, but then I started processing what I had just seen. My first thought was, “What is this person thinking?” The vehicle was a high-end jeep, all decked-out for a city street more than off-road. I figured that the driver must be successful to buy a vanity vehicle like this. So why does this person think he’s been cursed? Is this a sick joke, someone’s idea of black humor? Is he or she trying to ward off a spell? Is it a cry for help? Is this individual into black magic or witchcraft and knows that someone has put a whammy on them? Or does CURSED1 refer to a general feeling that something isn’t right in their life and they want the world to know it. Call it stupid, exhibitionist, self-confessional – put any designation you want on it, this license plate says a lot of things.

First, the person with the license plate must take the idea of curses at least somewhat seriously. Why else pay to publicly advertise the danger of being cursed? But knowing that someone has cursed you doesn’t cancel the curse. A genuine curse, something instituted by occult ritual or revenge rite can only be countered by a committed Christian invoking the blood of Christ. No abracadabra will work. Fighting a curse with a curse is fighting fire with fire. No witchdoctor nor New Age hocus pocus will stop a real curse from doing harm. Galatians 3:13 says that Christ became “a curse for us.” Trusting in the power of Christ at the cross is the only way to stop being a CURSED1.

Second, speaking of a curse in jest won’t make it go away. The demons who attach themselves to curses don’t relent because of humor. Curses are serious maledictions of intended harm, or they are the consequences of evil actions like violence or perversion. Only the biblical breaking of a curse by prayers of agreement according to Matthew 18:10 will stop the intended evil. The owner of that CURSED1 license plate, or anyone who seriously thinks they have been cursed, needs to call upon the Lord to ward off evil. A curse isn’t something to joke about or be treated like a comedic comment.

If you really think you’ve been cursed, get my book “Curse Breaking.” If you feel that you’ve suffered mentally, physically, or spiritually because of a curse, get prayer. Our highly trained associate ministers can help. Schedule a virtual encounter with me, and I’ll take you through the detailed process of specific curse breaking. Don’t laugh off a curse. Sarcastic humor won’t stop the evil of a bloodline curse or the voodoo of a satanic ritual. If you don’t get your curses, your curses will get you. And the end result might not be a slogan on a license plate but an inscription on your tombstone!

Demons say dumb things. As an exorcist, I’ve heard it all, and some of what demons say has no connection to logic or intelligence. To be sure, Satan and his demons are, in fact, highly intelligent. From Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14 we learn that Lucifer was once the most brilliant being of the angelic world before his fall. He and his demons still retain some of that intellectual acumen. But when evil spirits are under duress, they often make puzzling and downright illogical claims. These statements usually occur during the heat of spiritual warfare battle when curses have been broken, inner healing has taken place, and all relevant issues pertaining to deliverance have been resolved. All that remains is to cast out the demon. That’s when demonic logic takes over. Here are three examples of what I mean. I’ll give direct quotes of what I’ve heard thousands of times.

1. I’VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME: So what? Longevity isn’t legitimacy. One powerful demon once said to me, “You can’t cast me out. I’ve been here thousands of years in the bloodline.” The evil spirit seemed shocked that I would declare that his spiritual tenure was over, that the blood of Jesus had canceled any evil rights. The individual receiving ministry was saved, they had forgiven all who offended them, and they renounced all the openings to evil created by their own sin. But the demon still argued for a right of tenancy, having occupied this person and his ancestry for centuries. Anyone involved in deliverance who encounters such a situation must stand their ground. Never yield to a false narrative from demons who think the longer they’ve inhabited an individual, the more right they have to stay. Not true!
2. I LIKE IT HERE: This argument, like the first one I cited, is also demonic illogic. It is clear from the Bible that demons consider the host in which they dwell to be their home. They need and want a body to do evil. Demons are immaterial, discarnate beings. They can only express their agenda of evil through the mind and physical body of a human. As metaphysical beings they cannot rape, steal, pervert, murder, lie, or blaspheme. But indwelling a human body and soul they can commit heinous acts. The body of the host is their vehicle of diabolic expression. Of course, they like it there.
3. YOU CAN’T MAKE ME GO: When I hear that, my response is always the same: “You are right, I can’t make you go. But Jesus can. It is His power in me that will make you leave, by the authority of His command of Mark 16:15-18 to cast out demons. Case closed.” Exorcism isn’t about my will overpowering a demon. Casting out demons is about the one ministering being yielded to Christ who gave this power to his disciples (Matthew 10:1) by extension to all who trust in Him. It is Jesus in us who battles evil spirits and has overcome them by His resurrection.

The purpose for this blog is not to examine the odd, defiant, and intractable things that demons say. My goal is to demonstrate the defiance of evil spirits, even though they understand their ultimate defeat. Why do demons fight vehemently? The nature of evil is self- deception. Every despot in history has demonstrated this. Demons are by nature unyielding enemies of the human soul, and they will only do what they are forced to do by Spirit-led human will. Once a Christian understands this, they take spiritual warfare much more seriously.

I’ve demonstrated how demons are deluded by their pride and hubris. In contrast, as believers we must walk humbly before the Lord, knowing that it is His strength in us that overcomes evil. As the apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:9, the strength of Christ is made perfect in our human weaknesses. There are many other ridiculous things that demons say, but you get the idea. In short, a demon’s desire is not its legitimacy. The will of a demon is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10) and they don’t easily give up that intention. Anyone who ministers deliverance must ignore the dumb things that demons say and enforce God’s will for the individual who seeks freedom from Satan’s lies.

Some preachers are afraid of the devil. No, let me rephrase that. Many preachers are afraid of the devil. They’d never admit it. They won’t discuss it, but they are. The proof? If you attend the average evangelical church, if your church is the average suburban non-denominational brand or even if it’s an established tradition, ask yourself this question: “When was the last time you heard a sermon that spoke about demons and the devil and didn’t add the provision that ‘Of course Christians can’t be demon possessed.’”

Last Sunday my wife and I heard the morning sermon from a pastor of a large church. He’s a great Bible teacher, that’s why we enjoy listening to him. He’s a good man with an excellent seminary education. He knows his Greek and his hermeneutics. He confidently announced that he would be speaking on Ephesians chapter six, the passage about spiritual armor, verses 10-13. Then he launched into an apology that lasted 20 minutes of his 30-minute sermon. He apologized for having to talk about such a sensitive subject and hoped it wouldn’t upset anyone. He spent at least 10 minutes telling people not to be afraid to talk about the devil so long as it was in church and part of a biblical exposition. He was hesitant, halting, and ambivalent. When he finally got around to actually talking about Paul’s admonition to the Ephesians, it was anemic, ambiguous, and full of more apologies that he hoped people wouldn’t be fearful that he was talking about the devil.

I emphasize again. This is a good and godly man who loves the Lord and means well. Any other passage of Scripture not mentioning the devil and he would have done great. But when speaking about “principalities, powers and the rulers of the darkness of this age,” he was clearly out of his comfort zone. Why are preachers afraid to talk about the devil? Here are three reasons:

1. Spiritual warfare, deliverance, and exorcism are not part of the course study of any major seminary in America. Since the Reformation, the topic has been mostly taboo. During the 17th and 18th centuries, exorcism was a Catholic thing. They embraced it as a way of proving their way was right. They actually cast out demons while Protestants only talked about it. So, Calvinist and Lutheran reformers talked about it less and less until it became a forbidden topic. Walking in one’s salvation was to be a matter of obedience and sanctification, not deliverance. So today the only information about having demons and casting them out is often from dubious internet sources. With all this baggage, of course preachers are afraid to talk about the devil.
2. They won’t open up to talk about the fears, bondages, and spiritual oppression in their own lives. I’ve ministered to many pastors from many denominations. One recently came to me quietly about issues in his life he suspected were demonic. He had nowhere else to go, that was credible. I’ve cast demons out of priests, pastors, nuns, missionaries, worship leaders, and seminarians. Some have been severely tormented by feelings of lust, anger, transgenderism, violence, rage, unbelief, and a host of serious issues. The “pray more, do more” advice hadn’t worked. So, they sought an exorcism. That is a frightening thought to most pastors, so they trudge along in their misery and build bigger walls to insulate their denial that what they suffer is NOT demons. On occasion they may preach about it, but timidly, unconvincingly, and without holy boldness.
3. They truly believe what they’ve been taught, that the miraculous and the supernatural are things that ended with the canon of Scripture and the Apostolic Age. Yet these same pastors will rail against all the perversion, lust, and theological corruption of witchcraft and the New Age and never directly confront the actual demons behind it. They have theoretical theology, forgetting the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:4: “My speech and preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (ESV).

To any pastor hearing me now, if you are the senior pastor of a Bible preaching church, contact our offices immediately—even if it must be confidential—and I will offer you a special educational track (for pastors-only) in Bob Larson University to make you aware of the importance of spiritual warfare in your teaching and in your life. There is no need for any pastor to be afraid of the devil if he really understands the wiles of the enemy and the power of Christ.

As an exorcist having done more than 50,000 documented cases of exorcisms, I’m very familiar with how evil spirits respond during a deliverance session. What is it that demons almost always say when confronted: “I’m not leaving!”

You may think that is a logical response from an evil spirit. If a demon has possessed, or otherwise invaded the mind of an individual, of course they are going to put up that defense. It’s the starting salvo in their spiritual artillery. Why wouldn’t they say that? The individual confronting the demon might be new to deliverance and would be intimidated by such insistence. Saying “I’m not leaving” also draws battle lines in the effort to free a person’s soul. But there is more to this demonic logic.

First, Jesus referred to the soul of a person as a house. In Matthew 12:29 He spoke of a “strong man” plundering a house, a word picture of demonic invasion. In Matthew 12:44 Christ spoke of demon referring to the person he possessed as his “house.” Demons inhabiting the soul of a person see that individual’s mind and emotions as his home. In Luke, chapter 11, The Jewish leaders accused Christ of casting out demons by Beelzebub, whom they called “the ruler of the demons.” Christ responded by saying in Luke 11:17-18, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?” Implicit in this statement is the idea that when evil spirits enter an individual, it is like occupying a dwelling, a home. My point is this — when a demon inhabits a person’s soul they see it as their rightful home, not an evil invasion. That too is demonic logic, and that is why they say, “I’m not leaving!”

The second reason a demon usually gives an initial response of defiance is that evil spirits are deluded by their own hubris, their arrogance and pride. Lucifer has deluded his evil companions into thinking that they will finally win, that the Bible isn’t true, that human beings are their pawns, and the resurrection of Christ was bogus. As crazy as that sounds, I’ve actually heard demons say such things. To confront them with their defeat, as John described in his revelation, is unthinkable. It’s like Hitler in his Berlin bunker at the end. Defeat isn’t imaginable to an evil mindset until the final stages of an exorcism.

Those who aren’t familiar with the process of deliverance often argue, “You can’t believe anything a demon says because they always lie.” That’s not accurate. Sometimes they do speak factually. More often they say what they are ordered to declare, parroting the demonic party line. Thus, when a demon says it isn’t leaving, I actually see that as a sign of weakness. It’s a bluff based on the same false pride that caused Lucifer to be cast from heaven. My experience as an exorcist has taught me that when a demon says, “I’m not leaving,” that is a certain sign of false bravado. Demonic insistence that it won’t go is actually a tacit confirmation that it must leave when the power of Christ is firmly declared.