Spiritual Prayer

I am afraid, the church has lost the power of prayer in personal devotion. Too many people think private, disciplined prayer is something for monks or people who have nothing els to do with their day. We have been taught by post modernism and the emerging church movements among others, that anything done with disciplined structure is works and therefore less than spiritual. We are told with not so many words that Spirit led means spontaneity in every thing. we are taught that structured, regular prayer like we find Daniel doing in Daniel 6:10 is empty and inspirited. That type of prayer lacks a sense of close relationship and familiarity, they would say. Of course a truly Spirit filled person would never pray out loud. If you are truly close to your friend God, there is no need for such fleshy conventions such as a humbled posture and a voiced conversation. This thinking is at best lacking spiritual maturity and at worst stifling or even damaging to the church.
I would encourage people adopt Daniels custom of regular whether once, trice or a hundred times a day. Prayer with not only your head bowed but, if you are physically able, your whole body prostrated before the Lord, voicing your praise, your petitions and your intersessions to God, almighty Lord of all creation. I believe you will have more productive, Spirit led prayer and lives for it.