Practicing the Word Deepens Our Walk With God

# More Than a Memory Verse

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” —Philippians 4:9

This verse from Paul is rich, practical, and deeply challenging. He writes this not from a beachside villa or the comfort of a study, but from prison. And from that place of suffering, Paul doesn’t just say, “I hope you find peace.” He says something far more powerful: The God of peace will be with you.

That’s what we’re going to look at. We’re going to explore what it means to have God Himself with us—not just the peace from God, but the presence of God as we live out what we’ve learned. Then we’ll look at what it means to put truth into practice, how we learn and receive, and finally, how we take the first step even when we don’t see the full path.

# 1. The God of Peace Will Be With You

Earlier in the same chapter—Philippians 4:6–7—Paul says something we’re more familiar with: “Do not be anxious about anything… and the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” That’s powerful. When we pray, God gives us peace. That peace steadies us. It strengthens us.

But in verse 9, Paul takes it a step further. Not just peace, but the God of peace Himself will be with you. That’s a whole different level.

Here’s how I think of it. Imagine you’re handed a car. That’s like the peace of God—you’ve got what you need to move forward. But when you start putting things into practice, God doesn’t just give you the car. He gets in and drives. And if you hit a storm, if there’s hail, or a riot, or a breakdown—He navigates. You’re still in the car, you’ll feel the bumps, but the One at the wheel knows how to get you safely to the end.

We’ve seen this before. In Psalm 23. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…” Why? “Because you are with me.” That’s the difference. Not the absence of darkness, but the presence of the Shepherd.

# 2. Putting the Word Into Practice

Paul is clear: it’s not enough to learn, receive, or hear. You must do. That’s when the presence of God shows up.

Jesus said the same thing in Matthew 7. A wise man builds his house on the rock—not just by hearing, but by doing. James echoes it: Faith without works is dead. Paul says it elsewhere: Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Putting into practice is where the struggle begins, but also where God meets us.

Let me share my own story. A few years ago, my pastor’s wife preached on King Asa. She said Asa recognized that God had given him rest, so he called the people to build towers, walls, and gates. That struck me. I was not in retirement or luxury, but I recognized I was in a season of rest. My family was healthy. Our needs were met. I had space.

I felt a nudge: build.

To build spiritual towers, walls, and gates. I started prayer cells. I encouraged others in the church. I coached people to read the Bible and share daily meditations. Eventually, I began preaching in churches.

A sermon became rhema. That personal word became practice.

But it wasn’t always smooth. There were days of frustration. Days of confusion. Days I wondered if I should continue. But it was in those days that I met God, the God who opens doors, equips, and guides me.

When we put the Word into practice, we get to experience God in all different dimensions.

# 3. How We Learn, Receive, and Imitate

Paul doesn’t just say “what you’ve learned.” He says “whatever you’ve learned, received, heard, or seen in me.”

There are many ways God speaks:

• Through sermons
• Through prophecy
• Through watching faithful people closely

We can hear thousands of messages. If you attend church weekly for ten years, that’s over 500 sermons. Add prayer meetings, Bible studies—it adds up. But hearing doesn’t change us. Practicing does.

And you can’t closely observe everyone. You must be intentional about who you walk with. Watch them closely. How do they respond to crisis? To accusation? To pain?

I’ve had that privilege. I once watched my pastor do something that still moves me. During a dengue outbreak, a baby in the church died. The father was hospitalized. The hospital warned that the body could still spread the illness. No one else stepped forward.

My pastor prayed, took the child’s wrapped body, dug the grave, and buried the baby alone.

That’s not just a sermon. That’s a life lived in faith. It showed me his trust in God. His humility. His willingness to serve.

We can learn a lot from books. But what you see in the lives of the faithful, that’s where you learn what it means to walk with God.

# 4. Take the First Step

Let me end where Paul does: Put it into practice.

Maybe there’s a nudge you've been feeling. A prompting. A verse that keeps coming up. A situation God is calling you to act on.

You don’t need a master plan. Psalm 119 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet.” Not a spotlight showing the whole road, but a lamp lighting just enough for the next step.

You may only see five steps, but that’s enough. Walk those five, and the next five will become clear.

Take that step.

Peace comes when we pray. God’s presence comes when we practice.

Amen.