Exceedingly, Abundantly More

Devotionals on Holiness — Part One
Pastor Calvin Cook | October 8, 2026

Ephesians 3:20–21 (KJV)

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

Today’s devotional comes a little later than usual. These thoughts have required more time to process, listen, pray, and reflect. I pray that as I share them, God will receive them as an offering from a life being made new, yet still very much in need of His grace and redemption.

I recently spent three days in retreat with approximately 100 other pastors. It was a time of worship, teaching, reflection, and being challenged beyond my normal challenges. The workshop and worship leaders invited us into a place spiritually that, if I am being truthful, I have sometimes only visited rather than fully inhabited.

I wasn’t always comfortable with what was being taught or what I was being challenged to consider. But I am discovering that discomfort can sometimes become the very place where the Holy Spirit begins a deeper work of grace. Not every challenge is necessarily from God, but every challenge deserves to be brought before Him in prayer and discernment.

This morning, long before the day began, I found myself drawn to a familiar passage of Scripture, but perhaps with a deeper understanding of what it means for my life, my calling, and my relationship with Jesus Christ.

The words from the King James Version really resonate with me:

“Exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.”

Those are powerful words.

Words we often associate with God’s blessings, answered prayers, miracles, unexpected provisions, and doors opening that we never thought possible.

But this morning, I am wondering if I have been thinking too small.

What if the exceedingly abundant work of God is not simply about what God can do for me, but what God desires to do in me and through me?

What if God desires to so transform my heart, my desires, and my attention toward Christ that the temptations and distractions which once held my attention begin to lose their power?

What if the greatest abundance I could ever experience is not found in what I receive, but in how completely I surrender myself to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit?

I have walked with Christ for many years. I have prayed countless prayers, preached hundreds of sermons, ministered to people in moments of great celebration and deep sorrow, and witnessed the remarkable movement of God in places where I least expected Him.

Yet I find myself asking:

Lord, have I truly allowed You to do exceedingly and abundantly more in my own life?

Have I become so familiar with the language of faith that I sometimes miss the fullness of its power?

Have my prayers become limited by what I believe is possible rather than by what God is able to accomplish?

Have I preached about the transforming power of the Holy Spirit while sometimes resisting the very transformation He desires to accomplish within me?

These are not comfortable questions. But perhaps they are necessary questions.

In my prayer life, I want more than simply presenting my requests before God. I want to enter His presence with an expectant heart, listening for His voice, surrendering my desires, and allowing His will to become greater than my own.

In my understanding of the sacramental life, I want to experience more deeply the grace of God that meets us through the means He has given us. At the Lord’s Table, in baptism, in prayer, in worship, in fellowship, and in searching the Scriptures, I want to recognize the extraordinary presence of Christ.

I do not want merely to participate in holy moments. I want those moments to shape a holy life.

In my preaching, I want more than carefully prepared words and well-delivered sermons. I want the Word of God to first penetrate my own heart. I want to preach with the conviction of someone who has encountered the living Christ, not simply studied the Scriptures.

In my ministry, I want to love more extravagantly, serve more faithfully, forgive more freely, and witness more boldly.

But perhaps most importantly, I want to become increasingly sensitive and obedient to the movement of the Holy Spirit.

Not simply recognizing when the Spirit moves, but responding.

Not simply asking for the Spirit’s direction, but following.

Not simply preaching holiness, but pursuing holiness in every area of my life.

I am reminded that Paul does not simply say God is able to do more than we can imagine. He adds these remarkable words:

“According to the power that worketh in us.”

The exceedingly abundant work of God is not merely a distant possibility or a future promise. Through the Holy Spirit, God is already at work within those who belong to Christ.

Perhaps I have spent too much time asking God to bless the life I have been living, when He has been inviting me to surrender more completely to the holy life He desires to create within me.

And perhaps that is where exceedingly abundant living really begins.

Not with more possessions, greater opportunities, or even a larger ministry.

But with more of Jesus.

More of His presence.

More of His holiness.

More of His love.

More of His Spirit working within me.

Tomorrow, I want to share the second part of this reflection. Because when we begin asking God to do exceedingly and abundantly more within us, we must also be willing to confront those places where we have missed the mark.

My Prayer Today

Heavenly Father,

You are able to do exceedingly and abundantly above anything I could ever ask or imagine. Forgive me for the times I have limited Your work to what I could understand, my prayers to what I believed possible, and my obedience to what I found comfortable.

Open my heart to the deeper work of Your Holy Spirit. Transform my desires, renew my thinking, and teach me to recognize Your presence in the ordinary moments of life.

May my prayers become more sincere, my preaching more faithful, my ministry more Christlike, and my heart more completely surrendered to You.

Do not simply give me more things to do for You. Make me more completely Yours.

In Jesus’ holy name, Amen.

A Question for Today:

Am I asking God to do exceedingly and abundantly more in my circumstances, or am I willing to allow Him to do exceedingly and abundantly more in my heart?

Part 2 tomorrow !