“I just can’t tell if this is God, the enemy, or my own voice I’m hearing. I don’t know what to do!”
Have you ever said something like this? Have you ever worried that what you thought was God’s voice, wasn’t? And that the decision you made based on what you heard was completely wrong?
How can you tell if you are listening to Him or to you?
There are a couple of pretty reliable ways to determine if God is speaking, or if your own voice is drowning out His. The first is to determine if the voice you’re listening to agrees with Scripture (the logos word of God). Of course, a lot of modern issues aren’t mentioned in Scripture. That’s when you rely more on the rhema word of God—His personal, revealed word for you.
The second is to check your emotions. If peace reigns, you know God is speaking. Even if He is telling you a hard truth, peace will be the underlying emotion. You may only be able to feel it when you are deeply in His presence, so don’t be fooled.
However, if you find yourself worrying and being anxious, you can be sure you are hearing from your own voice. You will be listening to your soul (mind, will, emotions) instead of your spirit.
What’s the big deal about listening to your soul? Plenty. Our spirits are one hundred percent holy, having been redeemed by the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice for us. They communicate clearly with Father, no static problems. We are intended to live from that communication of our spirits, which is translated into our souls and then acted upon by our bodies.
But our souls are tainted by sin, wounds, pain, and all the still-unredeemed stuff we’ve absorbed from living in a sinful world. The Bible says to renew our minds (part of the soul) in Romans 12:2. How do we do that? By continually and consistently applying both the logos and the rhema. This is the washing of the word mentioned in Ephesians 5:27.
This washing helps clear the path between soul and spirit, and helps us live according to God’s words.
Of course, mistakes happen and our judgment fails us. When that occurs, repent before God, pick yourself up, and get back on the correct path. He is faithful to continue teaching us how to hear Him clearly. 
If you ever wonder whose voice you are hearing, do the analysis: check your emotions for underlying peace. Check the message for agreement with the logos. And check for agreement with the rhema.
If all these are in line, you are most likely hearing from God.
You will be responding to Him as His child, instead of listening only to yourself.
this is part 4 of a series on hearing the voice of God
Part 1| Whose Voice Do You Believe?
Part 2| How Does God Speak to You?
part 3| Do You Know Your Enemy?
Part 4| Can You Recognize Your Own Voice?
all illustrations courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net