God Says, "I Will Shut the Mouths of Lions"

The Rise of the Daniels

As I was in prayer, I heard the Lord say, "I will shut the mouths of the lions."

The moment He spoke it, I knew He was pointing me to the story of Daniel—a man raised by God into the highest levels of governmental authority yet was violently opposed, not because he did anything wrong, but because he did everything right.

As I prayed and looked at the world around us, I asked the Lord, "Where are the Daniels You are raising in this hour?" Immediately I sensed that the Daniels are rising, but at the same time, the den is being prepared; the enemy is plotting to silence and destroy those whom God is elevating.

The Lord spoke again: "I, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha, will step into the den before them. And when I enter, I will shut the mouths of the lions."

Daniel's rise was supernatural. Scripture says, "Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm" (Daniel 6:3 NKJV). Before this, "It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one" (Daniel 6:1–2 NKJV).

Daniel was God's governmental voice, and that favor drew demonic hostility. His enemies grew jealous, conspiring to destroy him. "He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy" (Daniel 6:4 NLT). When they could find no fault, they said, "Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion" (Daniel 6:5 NLT).

This was not just political opposition; it was spiritual. There was a spirit of jealousy, a spirit of sabotage, a python spirit attacking prayer, and a principality weaponizing government to destroy the righteous. Yet in the midst of this demonic assault, Daniel's response was unwavering.

"When Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God." (Daniel 6:10 NLT)

Daniel did not panic. Daniel did not hide. Daniel simply continued what he had always done. Prayer wasn't his reaction; it was his lifestyle.
(Photo via Unsplash)

Spiritual Alignment and Prophetic Posture

As I meditated on this verse, the Lord began to reveal something deeper. Daniel didn't just pray; he opened his windows toward Jerusalem. Those windows were more than a direction; they were a spiritual alignment, a prophetic posture connecting earth to Heaven.

I remembered Solomon's dedication prayer: "When they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, then hear from Heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause (2 Chronicles 6:34–35 NKJV). Daniel was standing on that covenant promise. But in Daniel's day, Jerusalem and the Temple were reduced to rubble—no building, no altar, and no visible city. So what was Daniel looking toward? As I was praying, the Lord opened my eyes. Daniel wasn't looking at earthly ruins; he was seeing the heavenly Jerusalem.

Scripture describes this eternal city:

"You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering." (Hebrews 12:22 NLT)

"And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven ... the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God." (Revelation 21:2, 10 NLT)

Daniel's eyes were fixed on what could never be destroyed, and because of that revelation, he feared no lions.

Then came the den. "So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions" (Daniel 6:16 NLT).

The True Head of the Pride

And then the Lord gave me a heavenly encounter. As I was reading Daniel 6, the Lord opened my eyes and showed me why the mouths of the lions were shut. In the vision, I saw the Lord manifesting in the den as the Lion of Judah—the Alpha, the true head over the pride.

The lions were not merely silent; they were waiting. I saw them standing still in absolute submission, watching the Alpha who had entered their territory. And when the Lion of Judah—standing as the supreme Alpha—did NOT devour Daniel, every lion instantly submitted. Their mouths were shut because the true Head had taken His place, and no lion can act until the Alpha gives the command. (Photo via Unsplash)

After this encounter, I began studying the behavior of lions, and everything the Lord showed me matched perfectly. Every lion in the pride instinctively submits to the alpha male. The entire pride waits for the head's action before they act. And in the den, the Lord Himself stood as the Alpha. Because He did not strike; they could not strike.

God did not keep Daniel out of the den; He entered the den with him. Just as He promised, "when you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God" (Isaiah 43:2–3 NLT). The lions were not removed; their ability to harm was removed.

In the morning, the king cried out, "Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?" (Daniel 6:20 NLT).

Daniel answered, "My God sent His angel to shut the lions' mouths" (Daniel 6:22 NLT).

The king then issued a decree to the whole world: "He is the living God, and He will endure forever. His Kingdom will never be destroyed, and His rule will never end. He rescues and saves His people" (Daniel 6:26–27 NLT).

And the chapter ends with victory: "So Daniel prospered..." (Daniel 6:28 NLT).