One not called to preach cannot pray for the gift of preaching. Those who are not called to preach or teach or to minister in the church have no warrant to pray for ministerial gifts. They must pray for those gifts which will best enable them to fulfil their rightful duties. Parents, for instance, must pray for parental gifts. As the Spirit of regeneration he is only promised to the elect.
Election is no qualification on our part to be used as a plea in prayer.
Election is the secret purpose of God. Those who are elect are only revealed to us when they become believers. Those convinced of sin may and ought to pray that God will send his Spirit to them and regenerate them. The special object of their prayers is sovereign grace, goodness and mercy as declared to us in and by Jesus Christ. Those under such convictions of sin have sometimes actually had the seeds of regeneration imparted to them already.