Date: 12-10-25
Preacher: Ps Brenda Lim 
Title:  Pray Without Ceasing In The Holy Spirit and With Thanksgiving

Pray Without Ceasing In The Holy Spirit and With Thanksgiving

​It’s not often you get an invited speaker who spoke matter-of-factly that to pray unceasingly is a simple thing to do. But of course Ps Brenda laid some conditions surrounding that statement. It was a message which rocks with such pure simplicity. It reminded me of my grand-daughter’s prayers thanking God for normal days.

The main biblical reference for this morning’s message was taken from 1 Thessalonians 5:17-19 and the one important condition mentioned above is our constant communion with the Holy Spirit so much so that our prayers become a daily spiritual habit. 

So what is the role of the Holy Spirit in our unceasing prayer? Using Romans 8:26 as a reference point, Ps Brenda shared the following:

• To pray unceasingly is not a result of self-effort.
• We cannot be directed by the Holy Spirit unless we are submitted to Him.
• There is a place of prayerful dependence upon the Holy Spirit

I need not use more words to illustrate each of the above but each of them speaks for itself.

Next, Ps Brenda devoted time to carve out the thanksgiving portion. She framed it as the Posture of Unceasing Prayer. To have that posture is to acknowledge God’s sovereignty over our lives and a thanksgiving posture also includes the following: 

• Gratitude shifts our focus from problems to God's goodness and faithfulness.
• Philippians 4:6 - "With thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God..."
• Colossians 4:2 - "to devote yourself to prayer. Be watchful and thankful."

Along the vein of thanksgiving Ps Brenda also shared that:

• To cultivate an attitude of thanksgiving is like unlocking a deeper spiritual peace
• There is a gentle assurance of God's peace and presence, when we have gratitude in our hearts
• We choose to look for glimmers of God and reflect His goodness along the way while we pray

Next, her quote from Rick Warren says it all and is worth reproducing here:

In happy moments, PRAISE GOD.

In difficult moments, SEEK GOD.

In quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.

In painful moments, TRUST GOD.

Every moment, THANK GOD.

I also wish to note that all of Ps Brenda’s personal testimonies showed she practised what she preached - a communion with God in all things, big and small. 

In her summary, Ps Brenda reiterated that to pray without ceasing means the following: 

• Abiding in Christ – living life with God at the centre
• Guided by the Holy Spirit
• Rooted in Thanksgiving

Finally, Ps Brenda’s prayers for the 2 groups of people in the congregation at the end gave a fitting finale of the essence of this morning’s message – to pray unceasingly is not a hard thing to do. She walked her talk.