If we could see our heavenly Father, we should see a being similar to our earthly parent, with this difference: our Father in heaven is exalted and glorified. He has received His thrones, His principalities and powers, and He sits as a governor, as a monarch, and overrules kingdoms, thrones and dominions that have been bequeathed to Him, and such as we anticipate receiving. While He was in the flesh, as we are, He was as we are.--J. of D., Vol. IV., p. 54. When we have done with the flesh, and have departed to the spirit world, you will find that we are independent of those evil spirits. But while you are in the flesh you will suffer by them, and cannot control them, only by your faith in the name of Jesus Christ and by the keys of the eternal priesthood. When the spirit is unlocked from the tabernacle it is as free, pure, holy and independent of them as the sun is of this earth.--J. of D. Vol. IV,, p. 134. The spirit of every man and woman that gets into the celestial kingdom must overcome the flesh, must war against the flesh until the seeds of sin that are sown in the flesh are brought into subjection to the law of Christ.--J. of D., Vol. IV., p, 197. Natural philosophy is the plan of salvation, and the plan of salvation is natural philosophy.--J. of D. Vol. IV., p. 203. There is no spirit but what was pure and holy when it came here from the celestial world. There is no spirit among the human family that was begotten in hell; none that were begotten by angels, or by any inferior being. They were not produced by any being less than our Father in heaven. He is the Father of our spirits, and if we could know, understand and do His will, every soul would be prepared to return back into His presence. And when they get there, they would see that they had formerly lived there for ages; that they had previously been acquainted with every nook and corner, with the palaces, walks and gardens; and they would embrace their Father, and He would embrace them.--J. of D., Vol. IV., p. 268. The kingdom of our God that is set upon the earth, does not require men of many words and flaming oratorical talents, to establish truth and righteousness. It is not the many words that accomplish the designs of our Father in heaven; with Him it is the acts of the people more than their words.--J. of D., Vol. IV., p. 20. We are placed on this earth to prove whether we are worthy to go into the celestial world, the terrestrial or the telestial, or to hell.--J. of D., Vol. IV., p. 269. Serve God according to the best knowledge you have, and lie down and sleep quietly; and when the devil comes along and says, You are not a very good Saint, you might enjoy greater blessings and more of the power of God, and have the vision of your mind opened, if you would live up to your privileges, tell him to leave; that you have long ago forsaken his ranks and enlisted in the army of Jesus, who is your captain, and that you want no more of the devil.--J. of D., Vol. IV., p. 270.