A third part of the host of heaven

If you're like me, you have wondered about how Lucifer's plan was so appealing that it lured a third part of the host of heaven to follow it. I don't think he was such a smooth talker that he was able to convince so many to follow a plan that seems to have no basis for success.
In the church, it is often bandied about that Lucifer's plan was to force us to do good so that we would all be saved. -- Um, how is that possible? Would he just follow us around with little whips and make us choose the right things? Even then, some would rebel... No, in fact, the word "force" is never used in reference to Lucifer's proposed plan. We'll get to that in a minute. First, let's set the stage with some scriptural references.
First, we learn that there was an existence (of man) before the world began:

1. Jer 1:5 - "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee ... and ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."
 - God knew Job (in the spirit) before he was born upon the earth. - God then gave him a mission to fulfill on the earth.

2. Job 38:4-7 - "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? ... When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
 - In the Grand Beginning, the morning stars sang, (I have a theory about who they are - keep reading), and all the sons of God shouted for joy (perhaps at the prospect of being tabernacled in the flesh.)

3. Romans 8:16 - "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God"
 - Paul teaches that we are the children of God. It is my belief that this is not in reference to simply being his "creations".

4. Genesis 1:26,27 - And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:  ... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
 - If we are created in the image of God, then God has a form (not without body, parts, or passions). He looks like a man; (or more appropriately, man looks like God.)

There are several more references that could be cited further to show that God (the Father) has a form or body (in addition to a spirit). Father Israel said: "I have seen God face to face", "The Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." Moses also received tables "written with the finger of God", Stephen saw "Jesus standing on the right hand of God", And Paul says that Jesus looked like God: "[God] ... hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, ... [The Son] being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high". (Hebrews 1:1-3)

All men are literal children of God; We were also his children before the world began.

More information is available to us from the prophets:

5. Moses 3:5 - "... I, the Lord God, created all things ... spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. ... I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; ..."

6. Abraham 3:22-26 - "Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
and God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born. And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;"
 - Abraham makes it very clear here what  is being alluded to by the other prophets. God stood among the spirits (his sons [and daughters]) and explained the plan to them. Similar to Job, Abraham was chosen before he was born.

I think this sets the stage pretty well. God, who is all-knowing, all-powerful, etc. Having children (yet in the spirit), desires them to be tested and become worthy of all the blessings that he wants to give them.

As part of this test, man is exposed to good and evil "that he may know to refuse the evil and to choose the good."  (Isaiah 7:15)

Now God knows that man will not live a perfect life. He is sure of it and proposes that man be allowed a time of probation and an opportunity for repentance. He proposed that one would act as the "Lamb of God, [to take] away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)

John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
 
1 Jn. 4:9 - "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him."

Now, finally to get to the meat of the subject. In opposition to God's plan was Lucifer's plan. This was brought forward in the council, and there were many who opposed it, and there was a war in heaven:

Revelation 12:7-11: - "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
 - The angels that were in favor of God's plan fought those that opposed Satan's plan and prevailed. Satan was cast out.

Luke 10:18 - "...I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven."

Doctrine and Covenants 76: 19,20,25-28 -