John Dawson

John Dawson

Words and Insights for West Virginia

given to "The Church at Fairmont", WV

September 24, 2000

The Redemptive Gift of West Virginia

Foundations of West Virginia peoples:

There is a wounded spirit in the culture of this state because of iniquities of the people and wounds of the past.

West Virginia, as an extension of Virginia, has a transfer of European history from Scotland/Ireland and England.

·          The Celtic people were Prophetic Worshiping Warriors who carried a wounded spirit in them. They were obsessed with liberty and idealism. They were the frontier Presbyterian Christians.

·          English pioneers from the James River settlement had an Apostolic Anointing with a gift of government. They were Episcopal Christians.

The redemptive gift of West Virginia:

West Virginia is a place of Tenderness and Kindness. The gift of kindness rises out of the topography of the land which is soft and tender: the mountains and valleys, the water, the climate.

 "The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places, my inheritance is beautiful to me."

God shapes the personality of the people by the environment they live in. God defines our limitations, our boundaries ‑ to be lines of demarcation from which we form a foundation of peace.

The foundational culture of the indigenous peoples of WV had dignity, sly humor, artistic, quiet reserve, prophetic.

We are to be prophetic trend leaders in war by demonstrating the victory of God.

We are not an arrogant people, but are humble. God sets himself against the proud, but raises up the humble.

Having been carved out of Virginia (the birthplace of America), we are part of the womb of the nation – a gateway filtering the people throughout the nation. 

There’s a spiritual battle to be fought and won in this state for the purposes of the whole nation. In dealing with our iniquitous past, we must:

·          Deal with our mistrust of authority (conflict between management & labor, etc.)

·          Deal with our temptation which causes us to become isolated, withdraw, because we become hopeless when our kindness is violated.

·          Deal with our clannishness which causes us to become mistrustful of "outsiders".

West Virginia is not a rejected state, but the favor of the Lord rests here.

Our assignment:

·          Proclamation of blessing

·          Demonstrate the victory of God

·          Cleanse and heal the foundations

·          Proclamation of authority

The enemy is threatened by the redemptive purposes of this area. However, we will see the birthing of God’s purposes in thankfulness through faithfulness. "So be it."

We pray to the God who breaks through, to break through in your glory!

I don’t believe that it is Your will that any shall perish but that all should come to the knowledge of Jesus.