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或许你听过这样的说法：“重要的不是你知道什么，而是你认识谁。”这描述了你找工作时的一种不公平现象，但若说到祷告，这倒是件好事儿——甚至或许是个安慰。

耶稣赐给门徒们一个大胆的应许：“你们若奉我的名求什么，我必成就。”然而，这可不是一个空洞的宣告。通过宣告祂与父的合一，耶稣大胆明确地宣告了自己神性。换句话说，作为万物的主宰，祂可以随祂的旨意行任何事，成就祂的应许。

这真的意味着我们向耶稣求任何事，祂都会成就吗？简单回答应许是肯定的，但这应许并不适用于我们期望的任何事。关键是不适用取悦我们自己的祈求。

无论我们求什么，都必需求与耶稣是谁以及祂为何来到世上的启示一致。我们的祷告和祈求必须和耶稣自己的目的和使命相关：在我们这个受伤的世界彰显神的爱和怜悯。

即使我们的祷告和祂的使命一致，耶稣也可能不会完全按着我们希望的方式，在我们认为最佳的时间点来成就这些祷告，但祂的确听到了，也会回应我们的祈求。

所以，让我们相信耶稣的话，奉祂的名，按着祂的心意和使命来祈求。当我们这样做时，就是在世上作祂的工了。

Maybe you have heard the expression "It's not what you know; it's who you know." This describes an unfair situation when you're applying for a job, but when we're talking about prayer, it's a good thing—even a comfort.

Jesus makes a bold promise to his disciples: "Ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." This is not some empty claim, however. By declaring his oneness with the Father, Jesus boldly and plainly asserts his own divinity. In other words, as the Lord over all things, he can do whatever he wills, and he will deliver whatever he promises.

Does that really mean we can ask Jesus for anything and he will do it? The short answer is yes, but that does not apply to anything we might wish for; it's not about pleasing ourselves.

Whatever we ask for must be in line with who Jesus is and why he came into the world. Our prayers and requests must relate to Jesus' own purpose and mission: to show God's love and mercy in our hurting world.

And even as we pray in line with his mission, Jesus may not answer our prayers exactly as we wish or within our preferred time frame, but he hears and will respond nonetheless.

So let's take Jesus at his word and ask for anything in his name, doing so in keeping with his own heart and mission. And as we do, we'll be participating in his work in this world.