Spiritual “War-FAIR”: 6 Ways the Enemy Distracts Us From Sharing the Gospel

As we gear up for the IowaGO! Creation Evangelism Booth at the Iowa State Fair, we need to keep in mind the spiritual aspect of what we do and how the enemy wants to take us out of that. The enemy’s goal is seldom a dramatic collapse when there’s no need to exert unnecessary effort. Instead, he focuses on delay, distraction, and discouragement. All he has to do is ensure we remain silent, stalled, and sidelined to prevent us from sharing the gospel and rescuing those heading for eternal fire.

As Christians, we have three enemies we have to deal with: the flesh, the world, and the devil. We need to know the tactics so we won’t be caught off guard, and we will know what to pray for.

What Spiritual Warfare May Look Like

The enemy knows how to get to every one of us. Here is a short list of how he may keep us out of the game.

1. Things at home may fall apart

As you work the booth, your kids may become unruly. The dog will eat a sock and needs to see the vet. You may get a phone call from a family member with an urgent need. They may see your time with the gospel booth at the fair as less important than the pressing things in their lives.

What happens at home is not insignificant. During the 2022 fair, my father was dying, and my sister frequently called with his prognosis. It became worse, and he passed away a month later. The enemy is relentless and will use anyone and anything to get you out of that booth.

2. Marriages might suffer

The enemy knows how to get to us. It’s quite easy. If he can’t get to us directly, he uses those closest to us, and no one is closer than your spouse or your kids. No one warns you when you are born again that you receive a “bullseye” for a birthmark. Oftentimes, the delay may come from your spouse needing something. The distraction may come through conflict right at the moment you need to focus on your message.

Few evangelists share the gospel alongside their wives. Not all are called to that; each person is gifted and called in different ways. In Scripture, Aquilla and Priscilla are a rare but beautiful example of a husband and wife ministering together. They both pursued the same goals as one; but for many, each individual is called to a different form of ministry.

3. Your job could require your attention

Work has a way of getting involved in our personal lives. Friday afternoon comes around, and the boss is pacing. “I need you to work this weekend,” he says. “I know it’s the Fair, and that’s important to you, but I need…”

Most people are quick to label 666 as the “mark of the beast,” but I can’t help but wonder if it’s really more about the relentless expectation of working 24/7/365. It seems like the real “beast” here is the unending demand for our time and effort, which only amplifies in the face of gospel opportunity.

We live in a fallen world, and problems are many. As IowaGO! booth-dwellers, we must proactively prepare ourselves for such situations through prayer, even before the work schedules are finalized.

4. Personal guilt trips

Do you have friends or family members who are “travel agents for Guilt Trips?” A “guilt trip” is designed to pull at your heartstrings to change direction. Why? Because it works. The enemy knows you care; he will stop at nothing to get us out of that booth. He uses our love for others against us.

People use religious language and our sense of responsibility to pressure us into doing something we don’t owe. They twist good principles into emotional leverage to manipulate. Have you heard any of these?

• “If you were really a Christian, you’d help me.”
• “Love means you don’t set boundaries.”
• “We’re family. You should put my needs first.”
• And my absolute favorite—“I’d do it for you.”

Ask them what they can do now, and commit to helping them after the fair. This puts most of the responsibility back on them and promises your help later when you are available.

5. Fear

Fear is a powerful tool that keeps us from evangelizing. We get in our own heads and have crazy ideas of what it will be like to serve at the IowaGO! Creation Evangelism Booth.

The worst thing that has ever happened to me was being yelled at. Getting punched would be assault, and no one is going to do that with a hundred witnesses around. I’ve even had funny moments with people who are trying to get to me. One time, I had a young man eat a million-dollar dino buck in front of me as I passed them out. After he swallowed, I responded, “That’s gonna hurt coming out.” He wanted to laugh, but just walked away.

When you are at the booth, you’ll have someone with more experience than you there to lead, guide, and even take over when necessary. You’re not going to be alone. It will be a learning experience. The first time you do anything, it needs improvement. Evangelism is no different.

6. Discouragement

Discouragement comes when results don’t match our expectations; when we lack fruit in our walk or witness. Our progress may be slow, or we feel ineffective when others are having more or better conversations.

The booth is a day-to-day journey. I have good days; I have bad ones. Sometimes I have amazing conversations and give out hundreds of tracts. The next day may be spent giving dinosaur tattoos to kids, even though I desire meaningful conversation. All the activities are useful for the kingdom of God.

Discouragement can also come in the form of comparison, which minimizes our calling. There is a false expectation that evangelists need to be over-the-top extroverts, ready to make the sale and hit our self-imposed goals. Most are introverts who aren’t afraid of doing extroverted things for the sake of the kingdom. We may not be fans of passing out tracts, but we will, knowing that a great one-on-one conversation is coming down the aisle.

God made you one-of-a-kind. We are God’s “workmanship created for good works which He prepared for us a long time ago.” (Ephesians 2:10). God made you with a purpose and mission in mind. Why not discover some of that at the fair?

How Do I Get Through It?

The Bible is clear about spiritual warfare and how to combat it. We just need to know where to look.

Know your enemy

First, we need to know our enemy, what his plans are. With a known enemy and known tactics, we can plan how to protect ourselves and go on the offensive.

Our struggle is not merely against human opposition, but against unseen spiritual forces that oppose God’s purposes (Ephesians 6:12). Our weapons are spiritual as well, taking up the whole armor of God to withstand the evil forces against us:

1. The belt of truth reminds us to live and speak truthfully, grounded in God’s Word.
2. The breastplate of righteousness assures us of our right standing before God in Christ.
3. The shoes of the gospel of peace call us to be ready to go share the good news at all times.
4. The helmet of salvation gives us confidence in our eternal security as Christians.
5. The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is our offensive weapon and our final authority.

Pray continually

We must be in constant communication with our Commander-in-Chief in prayer, which keeps us dependent upon God and aligned with His will (Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6-7).

When we submit to God in prayer and place ourselves under His authority, the devil cannot stand against that.

Prayer in spiritual warfare is vital because it:

1. Keeps us dependent upon God’s strength rather than our own.
2. Guards our hearts and minds from fear, temptation, and deception.
3. Activates the armor of God as each piece is applied through prayer.
4. Invites God’s peace into our lives.

Through prayer, we don’t fight Satan directly, but draw near to God who fights for us. When believers pray faithfully, humbly, and biblically, they stand firm in the victory Christ already won.

Relinquish, resist, repent, and repeat

James says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:7-8)

Submission to God comes first, and above all things. When we yield to Him, we effectively resist Satan’s influence. We accept that we are sinners who need God’s power to combat the enemy. This focuses on God, His promises, and power — not the enemy in front of us.

Fasting

Just as Jesus expects us to pray (Matthew 6:5-7), He also expects us to fast (Matthew 6:16-17). For a Christian, fasting is voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes. In the area of evangelism, fasting may be used to strengthen prayer, protection, and guidance in our conversations.

This is an opportunity to reflect on our intentions and the true purpose of the IowaGO! booth at the State Fair. Let us earnestly draw closer to the Lord and to one another as we prepare for the important task ahead of us—sharing Jesus Christ, our only hope for eternal life.