The Iron Saint

By MaryAnn Diorio

The Church in America is on the verge of a tremendous spiritual awakening, an awakening that will first be fueled by persecution unlike anything we have ever seen before in this land. Indeed, a prophetic word given in my home church during the month of November gave this warning to the Church: "Prepare for the fire of persecution!"

But the Church is not ready for this persecution. For the most part, the Church in America has been weak and lukewarm. Flabby and lazy. Consumed with the world and not with the things of God. As a result, the Church has been deceived and has subverted the divine order of things.

In THE IRON SAINT, Dr. MaryAnn Diorio seeks to help equip the saints for the work of true, integritous, and effective ministry. As a teacher in the Body of Christ, it is her burning desire to help correct this devastating error.

In THE IRON SAINT, Dr. Diorio has outlined a plan of action for strengthening the Church through uncompromising obedience to the Word of God. This plan of action is based on her own 50 years of walking with the Lord and being led by His Holy Spirit.

If you are a born-again believer and member of the Body of Christ, make this book a top reading priority.

• Language: English
• Publisher: MaryAnn Diorio
• Release date: Jan 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9780930037963

MaryAnn Diorio

MaryAnn Diorio writes award-winning fiction from a quaint, small town in New Jersey where neighbors still make time to chat, kids still lick lollipops, and old married couples still hold hands. A Jersey girl at heart, MaryAnn loves Jersey diners, Jersey tomatoes, and the Jersey shore.

Book preview

The Iron Saint

The Iron Saint

MaryAnn Diorio, PhD

MaryAnn Diorio Books

THE IRON SAINT

by MaryAnn Diorio

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Published by MaryAnn Diorio Books

PO Box 1185

Merchantville, NJ 08109

Copyright 2021 by MaryAnn Diorio

All rights reserved. This publication—or any part thereof—may not be reproduced, scanned, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted or distributed, in any printed or electronic form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, author, and publisher of this book, Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

Softcover Edition: ISBN: 978-0-930037-95-6

Hardcover Edition: ISBN: 978-0-930037-94-9

Electronic Edition: ISBN: 978-0-930037-96-3

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021900737

All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible online at King James Bible Online, www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/.

NOTE: This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold, re-published, or copied. Additional readers should purchase an additional copy out of respect for the author's hard work.

While the author has made every effort to provide accurate Internet addresses and contact information at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors or for changes that occur after publication. Further, the publisher and author do not have any control over and do not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

Book Cover Design: MaryAnn Diorio (CANVA)

Editor: Dominic A. Diorio, MD

Iron Man Consultant: Gina Diorio

Vellum flower icon Created with Vellum

Dedicated to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

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with Whom I have been crucified and in Whom I now live . . .

I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.

(Galatians 2.20, King James Bible Online)

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The passion of Christianity is that I deliberately sign away my own rights and become a bond-slave of Jesus Christ. Until I do that, I do not begin to be a saint.

~ Oswald Chambers

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Preface

Introduction

Part 1: Building Spiritual Strength

Chapter 1: The Surrender of Self

Chapter 2: The Danger of Independence

Chapter 3: The Test of Dependence

Part 2: Fueling Spiritual Strength

Chapter 4: The Strength of Slavery

Chapter 5: The Freedom of Slavery

Chapter 6: The Victory of Slavery

Part 3: Transitioning from Glory to Glory

Chapter 7: The Momentum of Obedience

Chapter 8: The Rest of Trust

Chapter 9: The Union of Communion

Chapter 10: The Finish Line: The Iron Saint

Social Media Sites

About the Author

How to Live Forever

Books by Dr. MaryAnn

Acknowledgments

Books are always the product of many people. The author conceives the idea by the power of the Holy Spirit and then writes the contents. But many there be who serve as midwives in the birth of every book.

Such has been the case in the writing of this book. I wish to thank the following midwives without whose assistance The Iron Saint would not have seen the light of day:

__ Long-time friends, precious sisters in Christ, and treasured members of my Prayer Team: Dr. Adeola Akinola Darden, Sandra Marrongelli, and Devata White;

__My daughter, prayer warrior, and editor-par-excellence, Gina Diorio;

__My daughter and prayer warrior, Dr. Lia Diorio Gerken;

__My amazing husband, Dominic Diorio, MD, who not only served as my editor but who also carried the burden of running the home while I hibernated in my writing studio to write this book;

__Oswald Chambers, whose classic work, My Utmost for His Highest, inspired the title of this book;

__The Holy Spirit of God Who planted the seed for this book in my spirit and caused that seed to germinate and grow. May the fruit of Your work, dear Lord, be abundant and bring You great glory.

Preface

The Church of the 21 st century—particularly the American Church—finds itself sorely unprepared for what is coming. Indeed, the American Church, for the most part, is oblivious to the great persecution that lies ahead for those who follow Jesus Christ.

For far too long, we have been accustomed to an easy Christianity—indeed, even a lazy and luxurious Christianity—that demands little of us in terms of sacrifice and suffering. It is the Christianity of the Laodicean Church. But those days are about to end as Jesus prepares a Bride without spot or wrinkle.

If you have been discerning these changes, then you understand what I mean. The year 2020 brought with it sweeping changes in our way of life—changes that have inhibited our freedom in multiple areas of life. It is as though a dark spirit has placed a noose around our necks and is slowly tightening it in order to steal, kill, and destroy. That noose is blatantly satanic and originates from Satan, the arch-deceiver himself.

For, the truth behind what is going on in the world is that we have entered that dark period of history that will soon lead to the Tribulation. By God's grace, those who follow Christ will be removed from the worst of it in the