This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him (1 John 5:14-15 NIV).
One of the most comforting promises in the Bible is that God always hears us; whatever we say, whether shouted, or whispered, or murmured deeply in our hearts, He hears. He also promises that anything we ask “according to his will,” we know that He will answer.
To see how much Seventh-day Adventist institutional employees have taken this to heart, the Institutional Workers’ Survey 2023 asked whether they had ever received a definite answer to a specific prayer request.
Adventist educational workers responded “yes” at the rate of 91.7%, “no” at 2.5%, and “do not know” at 5.8%. Of the 13 divisions, nine reported affirmative responses at 90% or higher. Four divisions had affirmative response rates between 80% and 90%, with the lowest percentage recorded in the Northern Asia-Pacific (NSD), at 81%. The NSD also had the highest percentage of respondents who answered, “do not know,” at 15.5%. The highest percentages of negative responses were recorded in the Trans-European Division (TED) at 6.5%, and the South Pacific Division (SPD) at 5.8%.
Responses from non-educational workers were received from only ten divisions, with 89.9% answering “yes,” 2.9% saying “no,” and 7.2% indicating that they did not know. Half of these Divisions reported affirmative response rates of 90% or higher. In the West-Central Africa Division (WAD), all 21 respondents answered positively. Four divisions reported affirmative response rates at 80% or more, while the Inter-American Division (IAD) had the lowest percentages of responses, at 78.9%. The highest percentages of respondents who answered “do not know” were recorded in the IAD, at 15.8% and the Southern Asia-Pacific (SSD), at 13.3. The highest percentage of negative responses came from Southern Asia Division (SUD), at 8.3%, and SSD, at 6.7%.
Responses to the question of whether employees had experienced definite answers to prayer suggest not only that around 90% believe they have, but also that they are praying in the first place.
Ellen G. White wrote: “When our prayers seem not to be answered, we are to cling to the promise; for the time of answering will surely come, and we shall receive the blessing we need most. But to claim that prayer will always be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that we desire, is presumption. God is too wise to err, and too good to withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly” (Steps to Christ, p. 96). While she assured us that our prayers are always heard, she also warned us that God answers them in His own time and in His own way. He does not always give us exactly what we ask for, but He always gives us what we truly need.
You can access the full report here.
Created in collaboration with the Institute of Church Ministry.
Published by ASTR on 11/02/2026