When Fire's Clash

The Hall of Tyrannus

     The mention of the Hall of Tyrannus in Acts 19 has been deciphered by many more learned than I. The simple yet sometimes overlooked point about the time Paul spent there is to me the real insight that we need to gaze upon. It is simply: He taught Christ. This is the main purpose that we have moved away from in the American Church. We can hypothesize about church growth and evangelism, and even church order. The real need that remains after all our programs and even media expertise, is that we should pursue today as Paul did over 2000 years ago, Christ. We need to preach Christ and the Church (members) need to fall in love with the word of God all over again.

     What caused people to be in the Tyrannus Hall for 5 hours a day and listen to the word of God expounded on? What was the reason Paul paid his own way to free up his time to expound the scriptures for 5 hours a day? With most American Christians concerned about lunch and special programs, the desire to be taught the word of God seems to be the choice not on the to do list. We have even made our learning a way to be noticed by society with degrees and all they involve. I do not say this is wrong, I myself have a degree..

Yet the fact remains that something is missing in our hunger for the word of God. If one must be degreed to learn the word and then teach the word, the future of the church in in danger.

     In Luke 24:32 the disciples after spending time with Jesus on the road to Emmaus made a profound statement, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us.”  There is something powerful that happens when the scriptures are expounded upon. The eternity of God is released into our “timeness” and explodes inside of us with a desire that can conquer any foe or force. Then in Jeremiah 20:9, the prophet realizes that he cannot keep the word of God silent as he says, “..but His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.”

     When the FIRE of the RECEIVING the word, and the FIRE of RELEASING the word clashes there will be a Divine transfer happen. The hunger of the body of Christ for the word of God must come in line with the release of the word of God and a supernatural “bump” ( to use the action of an iphone app ) a divine transfer of power, knowledge, wisdom, boldness, and the ability to take territory for the kingdom of God will happen. Let us all return to the Hall of Tyrannus and learn of Christ so our hearts my burn within us thus creating a consuming fire that may reach to the uttermost parts of the earth.