Philippians 4:13 (ESV) I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Have you ever watched a tag team wrestling match? The opponent is winning and the weakened warrior reaches out and taps out, giving his partner the right to come in and take over the battle.

Yesterday as I left off with words of encouragement to lean on the Lord as our source of strength, I did not give you an example of how to do that. While the idea of the tag team match is visual in nature it is not practical in application when we are getting beat up by the enemy.

Several months after my first wife’s death I came down with a serious blood infection. Germs had taken up residency in my blood and were literally feeding off me. I was being beaten up badly. In my weakened state, feverish, I began to hallucinate. Demons began to hound me. Were they real? What does it matter if we feel they are real? So I did the one thing I knew to do. I tapped out.

“I praise you O Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord. In you do I trust. Jesus Christ is my Lord and savior, hallowed be Thy name.”

The demons, real or imagined fled from my presence. Another way to fight back in the spirit when you feel weak is to read scriptures that declare the goodness of the Lord. Read words that encourage you. You are not alone. You belong to the Lord, declare it aloud.

Our strength is our relationship with the Lord. Maintain that relationship. Keep in touch with Him through His Word and in fellowship.

Hebrews 13:5 (ESV) Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

We should not allow our affections to wander away from our Lord.