Discerning God’s Voice: Quick Guide

This guide is meant to help you recognize whether the thoughts in your mind are from God, from your own desires, or from the enemy. Use it whenever you feel uncertain, anxious, or pulled in different directions.

Quick 8-Step Discernment Process

1. Pause and breathe - calm your body before making any decision.

   
   

2. Check the fruit - will this choice lead to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control? (Galatians 5:22-23)

   
   

3. Examine your motives - am I doing this to serve myself or to honor God’s purpose?

   
   

4. Test with Scripture - does this line up with God’s Word and the life of Jesus?

   
   

5. Look for peace - God’s nudges bring steady peace, not confusion or obsession.

   
   

6. Ask for confirmation - pray, seek counsel from wise believers, or notice if Scripture repeats itself in your life.

   
   

7. Take a small step - test the thought in a gentle, safe way before making a bigger move.

   
   

8. Discern conviction vs condemnation - conviction corrects and guides with hope. Condemnation paralyzes with shame.

   
   

In-the-Moment Quick Check

Do I feel peace when I quiet myself?

Does this honor Jesus and align with Scripture?

Is my motive self-centered or God-centered?

Would a wise Christian I trust encourage this step?

Can I test this in a small way?

Journal Prompts

• What do I want most right now, and why?

• If I receive this, who benefits most—me or others?

• What fears am I trying to avoid by doing this?

• If this is from God, what would the long-term fruit look like?

• What would a trusted friend or pastor say?

Short Prayer

Lord, I want to hear You clearly. Quiet the noise of my desires and fears. Show me whether this thought is from You, from my own flesh, or from the enemy. Grant me peace, wise counsel, and courage to obey what is truly from You. Amen.