I just came up with a simple series of filtering questions to help me personally answer the question, “Is God speaking to me?”
1) Is this thought comparing?
2) Is it condescending and dishonoring?
3) Is this thought inciting fear?
4) Is it promoting disunity?
If I answer “yes” to any of these, then I know it’s not the voice of the Lord so I prayerfully cast it down. There a lots of sources for thoughts and it’s not always God speaking… sometimes it might be coming from my own fears and insecurities, or even other people and what I see or hear around me. I don’t have to give equal attention to every thought that comes to my mind and neither do you.