Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
I Jn. 1 ... If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The apostle John is telling us to confess our sins directly to God. Man cannot cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
There might be times God would then have you go to an individual that you sin against and ask that injured party to forgive you. For the most part, I find God just takes care of it HIMSELF.
But it is very unwise to go about telling other people of your sins as if you are on a TV talk show. Why do that? Aren't you ashamed of your sins? I certainly am ashamed of my sins. I wouldn't want to tell others what I have done. God is the one who forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
If you go about telling other people of your sins you often end up troubling those people you tell.
Be very careful about doing this. It would really have to be the Spirit of God telling me to speak about my specific sins before I would do this. And I would require many confirmations from God before I would do this. It could harm everyone. I can see where devils would urge you to tell of your sins for it can do so much damage.
Therefore settle your sins with God.
This past year, a woman in our church group told me she had an abortion. I was so shocked. It troubled me greatly. I was deeply grieved. Then I thought perhaps it was a medical abortion. I could understand that and handle that. I knew I had to ask her so I sent her an email asking her about this. (I didn't want to talk with her by phone for that might bring out more than I wanted to hear.) She responded with a one sentence response saying when she was married to her first husband she had an affair and became pregnant and had abortion. I'm still grieving over her sins. She piles sins on sins for she needlessly is grieving others as she tells them of her sins. There should be such shame that she wouldn't want to tell other people. It is like she is living in TV talk shows instead of living in the church. (But I suspect it is a devil driving her to tell people her sins.) James 1:26 ... If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
So be careful.
Should you go to a minister and confess your sins? NO. A minister does not have power nor needed information to cleanse you of all unrighteousness. Only God can do that. Settle your sins with God.
Here is a remarkable story: Many years ago, an American Indian woman told me this story. She was Catholic and the priest called her in to question her. She had enrolled her 5 children in MacCurdy mission school instead of the Catholic school. The priest asked her why she did that. She replied that she wanted her children to study the Bible. Priest told her people like her didn't need to study Bible ... he said he would tell her what she needed to know... But she held fast to her plan and when priest saw she would not change, priest said to her: "If you do this, we will put you out of the church and you will never be able to confess your sins again."
With great shame, Margaret said to me: "I don't know what came over me ... I said to priest: 'I don't have to confess my sins to a man like you ... I will confess them to the Lord.' "
I tried to tell Margaret that what she said is right but I think she was still ashamed of talking to priest this way.
Shame over sin is one thing rapidly vanishing from the earth. It should never vanish from the church.