All true prophets of God will have to bear the cross of rejection. Rejection will be the wilderness in which true prophets emerge out of. Rejection will be the fiery furnace in which God will use to deal with those He has called to stand in that office.
In Ezekiel 2:3-7 we read of the prophetic call of Ezekiel. It says, “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, “This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.”
As prophets and prophetic people we need to come to terms with the reality that we will be rejected and misunderstood because that is the cross we must bear. The issue is learning how to bear the cup of rejection without developing or walking in a spirit of rejection. These are two different realities. For clarity’s sake, the rejection I am talking about is not a result of immaturity, bitterness, resentment, or offense rather it’s a rejection predicated on the Word the prophet bears, carries, and has to speak.
To those who are called to the prophetic ministry let us take to heart the words of the Lord Jesus in John 15:20, “Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.”