Does the Bible permit me to ask God for a specific spiritual gift?

Les explains that it is not for you and me to go and say, 'Oh, I want this gift, or I want that gift.' Instead, you take the gift God has given you. The greatest thing is to say, 'Lord, here I am. I'm available. Use me,' and let Him direct where He will use you. Les notes that God often guides through open and closed doors—if a door closes, don't push against it; take another open door—and the Word can impress you by prayer. But simply going to God and saying, 'I want the gift of such and such' is not what the Bible permits; we are to leave that up to the Holy Spirit. The context then describes gifts such as the word of wisdom, word of knowledge, and faith, given by the same Spirit as the Church needed and God providing men with these abilities.