The ‘flesh’ can say prayers well enough, calling itself religious and thus satisfying conscience. But the ‘flesh’ has no desire for strength for the prayer that strives after an intimate knowledge of God; that rejoices in fellowship with Him; and that continues to lay hold of His strength. So, finally, it comes to this, the ‘flesh’ must be denied and crucified.
The Christian who is still carnal has neither disposition nor strength to follow after God. He rests satisfied with the prayer of habit or custom; but the glory, the blessedness of secret prayer is a hidden thing to him, till someday his eyes are opened, and he begins to see that the ‘flesh’ in its disposition turns away from God, is the archenemy which makes powerful prayer impossible for him.
Adam was created to have fellowship with God and enjoyed it before his Fall. After the Fall, however, there came immediately a deep-seated aversion to God, and he fled from Him. This incurable aversion is the characteristic of the unregenerate nature and the chief cause of our unwillingness to surrender ourselves to fellowship with God in prayer.