Since this is a relatively general question, I'll take a crack at it. Protein will certainly help you gain strength for numerous reasons, the premier reason being that strength training breaks down muscle tissue and protein is needed for the muscle to repair itself and grow back stronger. Ideally you should take in some quality protein like lean meat or dairy every 2-3 hours. Post workout (within 30 min.) protein intake is critical. Here Berardi recommends .4g of protein per kg of bodyweight along with .8g/kg of simple carbs (dextrose, maltodextrin, sucrose, honey works too!). Berardi recommends a quickly absorbed protein blend such as a whey concentrate/isolate mix. Other coaches such as Coach Valle of regeneration lab point out that protein type maybe not be as important as timing, and I tend to agree as I have had success with go energy-recovery shake which has milk protein isolate.
Aim to get your protein from whole food sources, with the exception of the post workout period. I hope I haven't confused you too much, any more questions feel free to ask.
