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.

Psalm 25:4-5 King James Version (KJV)

⁴ Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.

⁵ Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Psalm 25:4-5 English Standard Version (ESV)

⁴ Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
    teach me your paths.
⁵ Lead me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all the day long.

I have a friend that would often say “Take me kicking and screaming into your will O Lord.”

I never really understand why someone who knows the Lord would voice this opinion which sounds so much like rebellion. Then as I read a friends devotional with Psalm 25:4 in the ESV those two words “make me” rung out deep in me. I belong to the Lord. As my Lord He has the right to do with me as He wills. I acknowledge that there are times when He uses my body to serve His good pleasure without so much as a please and thank you. He doesn’t have to, He is my Lord and I am His to command.

My friend’s outcry was honest. What struck me at his repeating it over the years was that he still felt that way even after learning the Way of the Lord. It might be that he felt like he still has some flesh that needs to be brought into submission but don’t we all? None of us are perfect.

What keeps us from walking just a little bit better each day since we know Him and love Him?

In my friend I see a self-image that fears he is not making the progress he expects of himself. It is that Romans 7 confession by Paul that he knows right but just cannot find the strength to do right. I see it but the end of that chapter has a great lesson.

Do not rely on your own strength. Lean on the Lord.