Should I ask God for a specific spiritual gift like tongues or prophecy?

Les teaches that we are not to ask for a specific gift like tongues or prophecy, because that is up to the Holy Spirit to discern. Instead, we should ask the Lord to use us and enhance what we are able to do. We are told to follow after love and desire spiritual things, but of all things, desire to prophesy. Les explains that prophesy here is not telling the future as Daniel or Isaiah did, but simply speaking the Word of God. Every believer should desire that ability to share God's Word with believers who need teaching or unbelievers in darkness, asking the Lord for the opportunity to speak forth His Word. He also notes that the singular 'tongue' in the passage denoted a guttural sound with no phonetics, which could not be reduced to writing.