Every Greek word behind the English word prayer in the New Testament always has the idea of asking. Basically, prayer means asking things from God.
The popular idea that prayer is talking to God, that it is adoring Him, confessing your sins to Him and giving Him thanks is not prayer at all.
Adoring God is adoring God. Confessing your sins to God is confessing your sins to God. Giving Him thanks is giving Him thanks. Prayer is prayer, asking things from God.
Now, one may adore God with prayer, one may confess his sins with prayer, one may give God thanks with prayer but prayer always means asking things from God.
If you only adored God, confessed your sins to Him and give Him thanks without requesting or asking things from Him, then you have not prayed to God.
Prayer means asking things from God. It could be a request for something spiritual or something physical. Prayer is acknowledging our needy condition and our dependence on God.
Knowing that prayer is asking things from God, this should encourage us all the more to pray to Him for everything.
