“If you…come to Christ, He will appear as a Lion, in His glorious power and dominion, to defend you. All those excellencies of His, in which He appears as a lion, shall be yours, and shall be employed for you in your defense, for your safety, and to promote your glory; He will be as a lion to fight against your enemies. He that touches you, or offends you, will provoke His wrath, as He that stirs up a lion. Unless your enemies can conquer this Lion, they shall not be able to destroy or hurt you. Unless they are stronger than He, they shall not be able to hinder your happiness.” ~ Jonathan Edwards
“Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?”  Genesis 49:8-9 (NKJV)
We have a mighty and powerful Savior. His name is Jesus but He is also known as, “The Lion of Judah.” This name originates back to the book of Genesis. The patriarch, Jacob (“Israel”) gave this symbol to his tribe upon blessing his son Judah in Genesis 49:9. Jesus is a descendant of King David, who was from the Tribe of Judah.
Lions are powerful animals with mighty roars, sharp claws, and terrifying teeth. Fearlessly, they chase and devour their prey. Their very presence intimidates and rouses fear. Lions have the respect of all animals.
“A lion, which is mighty among beasts and does not turn away from any.” Proverbs 30:30 (NKJV)
Jesus is even more commanding for He is all-powerful. In His mighty strength, He defends and protects His own. He chases down enemies and intimidates any who dare to challenge the authority of His children. This includes Satan and all the principalities of darkness.
Though we may find ourselves harassed by evil, we can be certain assistance is always nearby. With a single cry for help, Jesus will appear. There is power in His name and we who neglect to use it are fools. Be comforted by the promise that if we resist the devil he must flee (James 4:7).
Many scriptural references to the Lion are about His powerful voice. Could this be so that God’s children will always hear Him calling? Is it also so that His roar will instill fear in the hearts of His enemies? As it is written in Amos 3:8, “A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?” Then there is also Proverbs 19:12, “The King’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but His favor is like dew on the grass.”
The Lion of Judah does hold His own children accountable and expects them to battle sin. In 2 Kings 17:25 there is a reference to God using lions as agents of divine punishment, and in Hosea 5:14 we read how His just actions are lion-like in nature. He hands out judgment with wisdom and justice.
Finally, Jesus is also mentioned as the Lion of Judah in the fifth chapter of the book of Revelation. In this chapter He is triumphant and victorious over all evil. Upon Him we can place our trust. He is our Protector, Redeemer, and Savoir. He knows the number of hairs on each of our heads and cares about every detail of our lives.
If you are facing persecution, storms, or fearsome struggles please cry out to the Lion of Judah. He is faithful and will never allow anything beyond your ability to bear. Ask Him to protect and defend you, request shelter from your storm. When you are weak He is strong, therein He reveals His power and glory during your times of need. Praise be to Jesus Christ, the mighty and all-powerful Lion of Judah!
(Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew word for praise.)
CONSIDER THESE SCRIPTURES AND QUOTE DURING YOUR PRAYER TIME:
“For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.” Hosea 5:14 (NKJV)
“I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs; I will tear open their rib cage, and there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beast shall tear them.”  Hosea 13:8 (NKJV)
“And it was so, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear the Lord; therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them.”
2 Kings 17:25 (NKJV)  
“Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Revelations 5:5 (NKJV)
“I am mended by my sickness, enriched by my poverty, and strengthened by my weakness.”
~Abraham Wright (1611-1690)
You will find this devotion in my book Facing Storms: Devotions for Thought And Meditation
http://www.amazon.com/Facing-Storms-Devotions-Thought-Meditation-ebook/dp/B00O1OJS0Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1422768058&sr=8-2&keywords=cheryl+zelenka&pebp=1422768061443&peasin=B00O1OJS0Y