Joseph Smith — "I have done more than any man living to destroy the power of the devil."
I have done more than any man living to destroy the power of the devil.
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Understanding this quote
What it means
Joseph Smith is asserting supreme spiritual effectiveness—claiming he has accomplished more than any living person to reduce the devil's influence on humanity. He believed founding the restored Church of Jesus Christ, performing saving ordinances, translating scripture, and organizing priesthood authority collectively dismantled Satan's grip on souls. The statement is a bold declaration of prophetic mission: that his specific religious work carries unique, unprecedented power against evil.
Relevance to Joseph Smith
Smith founded the LDS Church in 1830, translated the Book of Mormon, and revealed dozens of canonized texts. He instituted temple ordinances—including baptism for the dead—which he taught broke Satan's hold on departed souls. His belief in restored priesthood authority meant he could perform binding spiritual acts no Protestant minister could. This sweeping claim mirrors his pattern of framing his prophetic role as uniquely transformative in cosmic spiritual history.
The era
The 1830s–1840s saw America's Second Great Awakening—competing revivals, charismatic preachers, and new denominations all claiming spiritual authority. Religious ferment was intense; figures like Charles Finney drew thousands. Smith made this statement around 1844 in Nauvoo, Illinois, as Mormonism peaked in ambition and controversy. Amid political persecution, plural marriage debates, and mounting threats that would lead to his assassination, he portrayed himself as history's most consequential spiritual warrior.
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