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.
