Is It God or Just You? The 5-Filter Test

How do you know if God is really speaking to you, or if you just want something bad enough? In this episode, I break down 5 filters I use to test what I'm hearing before I step out and say "God told me." THE 5 FILTERS 1. Scripture God won't lead you somewhere that contradicts His Word. Without that anchor, you'll just find what you're already looking for. 2. The Body of Christ Talk to people who know God, know the Bible, and know you. Look for counsel, not permission. 3. Internal Prompting The Holy Spirit does convict and nudge. But a strong feeling isn't proof. Sometimes it's just what we want. 4. Circumstances Watch the open and closed doors. A closed door isn't always a failure. A lot of times it's God redirecting you. 5. Outside Counsel Get input from mature people outside your circle who don't have a stake in how it turns out. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Hearing God's voice vs. fooling yourself 0:45 The problem with saying "God told me" 1:30 LA or Europe? The decision that changed my life 3:00 Three people, one message 4:15 Filter 1: Scripture 5:30 Filter 2: The Body of Christ 6:45 Filter 3: Internal prompting 8:15 Filter 4: Circumstances 9:45 Jonah and closed doors 10:30 Filter 5: Outside counsel 11:30 Broken lenses: anger, fear, ambition, desperation 12:30 "Should I?" vs. "Can I?" 13:45 Stop saying "God told me." Start asking "God, show me." THE TAKEAWAY There's no magic formula. Discernment is testing what you think you're hearing from a few different angles before you act on it.