Worship is the first issue. Prayer is heard without worship but prayer is answered in the realm of worship. Angels rushed to fight heavenly wars for Daniel's requests, and they were the highest angels, those who stood in the very councils of God. His worship, his lifestyle of worship engaged God's heart with a special favor that made his prayers instantly caught up in the heavens. Wisdom is given to the worshiper.
Obedience rises from worship.
Forgiveness flows through worship. God's own sterling character, His power of endurance, these flow with richness into the spirit of the one who worships, who kneels at a daily altar. We know the story of the lion's den but we have overlooked that the issue at stake was worship. Daniel valued worship more than his own life. . . With deliberate abandon, he threw open the windows of his roof chamber to kneel and pray, knowing his enemies waited and watched for just such a defiance.