John Wesley’s Prayers

We have collected some of the best of John Wesley’s Prayers to use in requests to God. May these prayers for safety bring you comfort and peace of mind. May these prayers for strength encourage your spirit and strengthen your faith.

John Wesley (28 June  [O.S. 17 June] 1703 – 2 March 1791) was an English cleric, theologian, and evangelist who was a leader of a revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. The societies he founded became the dominant form of the independent Methodist movement that continues to this day.

John Wesley Quotes About Prayer

Prayer is where the action is. – John Wesley

God will do nothing but in answer to prayer. – John Wesley

The neglect of prayer is a grand hindrance to holiness. – John Wesley

God does nothing except in response to believing prayer. – John Wesley

God does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it. – John Wesley

I have so much to do that I spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it. – John Wesley

With all prayer (Eph. 6:18)” All sorts of prayer- public, private, mental, vocal. Do not be diligent in one kind of prayer and negligent in others… let us use all. – John Wesley

Proceed with much prayer, and your way will be made plain. – John Wesley
“Through the year with Wesley: an anthology”

In souls filled with love, the desire to please God is continual prayer. – John Wesley
“The Works of the Reverend John Wesley, A. M.”, p.526

Whether we think of, or speak to, God, whether we act or suffer for him, all is prayer, when we have no other object than his love, and the desire of pleasing him. John Wesley
“The Works of the Reverend John Wesley, A. M.”, p.526

I desired as many as could to join together in fasting and prayer, that God would restore the spirit of love and of a sound mind to the poor deluded rebels in America. John Wesley
“The Works of the Reverend John Wesley, A. M.”, p.476

God’s command to “pray without ceasing” is founded on the necessity we have of His grace to preserve the life of God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without it, than the body can without air. – John Wesley
John Wesley (1831). “The Works of the Reverend John Wesley, A. M.”, p.526

Prayer continues in the desire of the heart, though the understanding be employed on outward things. – John Wesley
John Wesley, Bp. John Emory, Thomas Jackson (1831). “The Works of the Rev. John Wesley, A.M.: Miscellaneous”, p.526

On every occasion of uneasiness, we should retire to prayer, that we may give place to the grace and light of God and then form our resolutions, without being in any pain about what success they may have. In the greatest temptations, a single look to Christ, and the barely pronouncing his name, suffices to overcome the wicked one, so it be done with confidence and calmness of spirit. – John Wesley
“The Works of the Reverend John Wesley, A. M.”, p.526

All that a Christian does, even in eating and sleeping, is prayer, when it is done in simplicity, according to the order of God, without either adding to or diminishing from it by his own choice. – John Wesley
“The Works of the Reverend John Wesley, A. M.”, p.526

I look on all the world as my parish; thus far I mean, that, in whatever part of it I am, I judge it meet, right, and my bounden duty, to declare unto all that are willing to hear, the glad tidings of salvation. – John Wesley
“The Journal of the Reverend John Wesley, Sometime Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford”, p.138

I believe there is no liturgy in the world, either in ancient or modern language, which breathes more of a solid, scriptural, rational piety, than the Common Prayer of the Church of England. And though the main of it was compiled considerably more than two hundred years ago, yet is the language of it, not only pure, but strong and elegant in the highest degree. – John Wesley

About three in the morning as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground. As soon as we recovered a little from the awe and amazement at the presence of His Majesty, we broke out with one voice, ‘We praise Thee, O God, we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord.’ – John Wesley
“The Works…”, p.117

Bear up the hands that hang down, by faith and prayer; support the tottering knees. Have you any days of fasting and prayer? Storm the throne of grace and persevere therein, and mercy will come down. – John Wesley
“The works of the rev. John Wesley”, p.383

Thanksgiving is inseparable from true prayer; it is almost essentially connected with it. One who always prays is ever giving praise, whether in ease or pain, both for prosperity and for the greatest adversity. He blesses God for all things, looks on them as coming from Him, and receives them for His sake- not choosing nor refusing, liking or disliking, anything, but only as it is agreeable or disagreeable to His perfect will. – John Wesley
“Renew My Heart”, p.108, Barbour Publishing

I put myself wholly into Thy hands: put me to what Thou wilt, rank me with whom Thou wilt; put me to doing, put me to suffering, let me be employed for Thee, or laid aside for Thee, or trodden under foot for Thee; let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing, I freely, and heartily resign all to Thy pleasure and disposal. – John Wesley

Covenant Prayer

I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you,
Praised for you or criticized for you.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and fully surrender all things to your glory and service.
And now, O wonderful and holy God,
Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer,
you are mine, and I am yours.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it also be made in heaven. Amen.

Prayer of Consecration

John Wesley wrote a prayer of consecration that has inspired many other hearts to be strangely warmed by the love of God being manifest to them:

O Lord, may nothing dwell in my soul
But your pure love alone.
Till my every thought, word, and act be love.
Yes Lord, may your love posses me whole;
You’re my joy, my treasure, my crown!

(“A Plain Account of Christian Perfection” by John Wesley. Paraphrased by Bill Gaultiere.)

Receive Grace

O God, seeing as there is in Christ Jesus an infinite fullness of all that we can want or desire, May we all receive from him, grace upon grace; grace to pardon our sins, and subdue our iniquities; to justify our persons and to sanctify our souls; and to complete that holy change, that renewal of our hearts, Which will enable us to be transformed into the blessed image in which you created us. O make us all acceptable to be partakers of the inheritance of your saints in light. Amen.

We Bless You

O LORD God Almighty, Father of angels and men, We praise and bless your holy name for all your goodness and loving kindness to humanity. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and for your unceasing generosity to us throughout our lives; But above all, we bless you for your great love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ. We bless you for bringing us safe to the beginning of a new day. Grant that this day we fall into no sin, Neither run into any kind of danger. Keep us, we pray, from all things hurtful to body or soul, and grant us your pardon and peace, So that, being cleansed from all our sins, We might serve you with quiet hearts and minds, and continue in the same until our life’s end, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Amen.

Beloved

Now, to God the Father, who first loved us, and made us accepted in the Beloved;
to God the Son, who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood;
to God the Holy Ghost, who sheddeth the love of God abroad in our hearts,
be all love and all glory in time and to all eternity.
Amen.

A Prayer from John Wesley

O merciful Father, do not consider what we have done against you;
but what our blessed Savior has done for us.

Don’t consider what we have made of ourselves,
but what He is making of us for you our God.

O that Christ may be “wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption”
to every one of our souls.

May His precious blood cleanse us from all our sins,
and your Holy Spirit renew and sanctify our souls.

May He crucify our flesh with its passion and lusts,
and cleanse all our brothers and sisters in Christ across the earth.

Amen.

---

A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside by thee.
Exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition (Contemporary Version)

I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you,
Praised for you or criticized for you.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and fully surrender all things to your glory and service.
And now, O wonderful and holy God,
Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer,
you are mine, and I am yours.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it also be made in heaven. Amen.