Day 12: Shout Down the Dogs
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When I was a kid, my mate and I were riding bikes when this crazy dog started chasing us.
Luckily, it was more focused on his bike than mine, so I got away.He was pedalling like mad, looking back at the dog — and crashed right into a fence.
But when he got up, he let out this thunderous roar that sent the dog running with its tail between its legs.
It was wild — part warrior scream, part primal panic.We rode away, pumped full of adrenaline and proud of my mate.
I’d never seen anything like it.Being a Christian is a bit like that.
Sometimes you’re under attack — but inside you is this roar.
Because the power of God lives in you.
You’re not helpless against the enemy’s schemes.
You have everything you need by the power of the Holy Spirit.Why not make peace with God today?
Let’s Talk
Most people don’t associate faith with ferocity.
Some think Christians are supposed to be soft-spoken, safe, and part of a nice people club. As long as we dress well, send the kids to private school and avoid swearing and too much sex, we are within the middle class western Christian cliche.
3Scripture paints a different picture — one of courage, authority, and spiritual fire.
There’s a roar inside you. Not a fake one. Not a forced one. A real one.
It’s the sound of God’s Spirit in your lungs. It’s the authority to stand when you want to run. To speak when you feel silenced. To fight for joy when darkness closes in.
That roar isn’t about volume. It’s about assurance of who you are and whose you are.
You were never meant to live in fear, but sometimes we forget what’s inside us.
But here’s the truth:
The enemy only barks because he knows he can’t bite.
He’s already lost. He just hopes you don’t realise it.
So what if, instead of backing down, you roared back?
What if you stood in your God-given identity and declared:
“I’m not ruled by fear. I’m not defined by my past.
I’m not a victim. I’m a son. I’m a daughter. I’m empowered by the Spirit of God.”
This is not about empty hype — it’s standing on who you are.
Scripture
“The wicked flee though no one pursues,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion”
— Proverbs 28:1 (NIV)
Mental Health Moment
Spiritual boldness and mental health might seem like an odd mix — especially if you’re tired, anxious, or numb.
But boldness doesn’t always look loud. Sometimes, boldness is just getting out of bed.
Sometimes it’s choosing truth when the lies feel more familiar.
Sometimes it’s whispering “God, help me,” when you’ve got nothing else.
The Spirit in you doesn’t erase struggle — it empowers endurance.
It doesn’t make you invincible — it makes you not alone.
Practice for Today
Write down this phrase somewhere visible:
“There’s a roar in me — even if I can’t hear it today.”
Then do one bold thing — no matter how small — that fear’s been keeping you from.
It could be a conversation, a prayer, a journal entry, or a moment of stillness.
The roar doesn’t start loud.
It starts with a choice.
A Prayer for the Cornered
God,
I’ve felt chased and cornered — by fear, by shame, by pressure and more
But You’ve placed something powerful in me.
Not just survival, but strength.
Not just noise, but truth.
Remind me that I’m not empty. I’m not alone. I’m not weak.
Let me roar with faith — even if it sounds more like a whisper today.
Amen.
Reflection Prompt
What’s been chasing you lately — and how have you been responding?
What might it look like to roar in the face of it, trusting that God’s strength is already within you?
