Note 28 at Phil. 4:9: Paul listed these four things in reverse order. First of all, the Philippians saw Paul's life. They saw God living through Paul and Silas when the pair came to Philippi and were miraculously delivered from prison through an earthquake (Acts 16:22-31). Next, they heard Paul's message. He used the miraculous events to preach the gospel and give the glory to Jesus. Thirdly, they received what Paul said and were born again. Then, and only then, they learned Paul's secret of relationship with God by faith in God's grace.

This is a normal progression of events in a person's receiving Christ. If we fail to walk in the supernatural power of God so that unbelievers can see that power in our lives, then few of them will ever stop to hear what we have to say. If they do hear but they don't receive, the process stops there. If they receive, then they will learn of Christ personally in an experiential way.

Note 29 at Phil. 4:9: It is not the hearers of God's Word but the doers of God's Word who are blessed (see ref. m at this verse). Paul admonished the Philippians to DO what they had seen him do. That was no small task. Read what the Lord did through Paul in Philippi (Acts 16).

Note 30 at Phil.4:9: Not only were the Philippian believers to think upon whatsoever was true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report (v. 8), but they must also "put into practice" the things they have learned. The LB translates this verse, "Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you."

The word "do" in this verse, (Greek-PRASSO), means "to practice." It is a present imperative in the Greek (see note 26 at v. 8) which means this is "a command to keep on doing an action as one's general habit or life-style" (The Discovery Bible, Moody Press).