Then what gifts ought to be asked for, and how does one go about asking?
We should “Desire all of the spiritual gifts”, but that also involves truly understanding them, for that is where much of the spiritual confusion comes from, an inadequate understanding of the nature of spiritual gifts as the New Testament defines them.Furthermore, we should “desire spiritual gifts”not so much as individual properties but for the edification of the Body.
There is no command in Scripture anywhere that I can think of where the gifts are to be asked for.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
What gifts each believer is to receive is the HOLY SPIRIT'S choice, not ours.
That is where I see the MAJOR problem in the Pentecostal movement, the huge emphasis on tongues, the least of the gifts, and its misapplication and use.