Trix, Jen, Bo, Martin and Vicky are transformed into spirit warriors as this new children's programme begins.

"CBBC viewers are set to step into a mystical realm where dragons talk, shadows come to life and the fate of the world lies in the hands of a teenager and her friends, in the new action-packed, martial arts, fantasy drama series Spirit Warriors.

"Mixing live-action martial arts fantasy with CGI characters and the latest digital technology, Spirit Warriors promises to deliver a visual spectacle the whole family can enjoy.

"Inspired by ancient Chinese myths and legends, the show follows Bo, her sister, Jen, and fellow school kids Vicky, Trix and Martin who, during a trip to a museum, are transported to a parallel spirit world.

"Once there, they find themselves transformed into spirit warriors, each with their own special spirit power. With the help of their mentor, Shen, a Chinese water dragon, they have to use their new-found skills to navigate the realms of wood, water, Earth and fire and find 12 legendary spirit pieces before the evil warlord Li and his henchman, Hwang, can get their hands on them. If the heroes succeed they'll save the universe – and Bo's mum. If they fail, both the spirit world and our own will fall under Li's power. There's just one problem – they're 21st-century British kids who don't have much experience of making polite conversation with an ancient dragon.

"In this high-action series, the new spirit warriors face the biggest challenges of their lives as they have to battle monkey people, come face to face with giant snakes, deal with devious fortune-tellers and even confront their own worst nightmares in the Temple of The Four Winds.

"In today's opener, the five children find themselves transported to the spirit world where they meet Shen for the first time. Will the new warriors succeed in their first mission and get to grips with their new spirit powers?

"Bo is played by Jessica Henwick, Jen by Alicia Lai, Vicky by Lil' Simz, Trix by Gilles Geary, Martin by Karl Rogers, Li by Benedict Wong, Hwang by Tom Wu and Fei-Yan by Daphne Cheung.

"Series starts Friday 22 January, 5.45 - 6.10pm"

www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc

“the fate of the world lies in the hands of a teenager and her friends … If the heroes succeed they’ll save the universe … If they fail, both the spirit world and our own will fall under Li’s (the evil warlord’s) power” 

This theme is very popular in TV programmes and films.  But it is blasphemy.  It is replacing the Lord Jesus (the Creator) with us (His creation).  The fate of the world lies in the hands of God; it does not lie in the hands of ANY man, woman, child, animal, demon, Satan, superman or superwoman – or any other fictional comic/TV/film ‘hero’. 

Satan uses many different ways by which to try to persuade us to believe his lie that the Lord Jesus is not coming back to this world, and these kinds of TV programmes are just one of his wicked ways to deceive our children.  But as parents we want to teach them the Truth of God, not the lies of Satan, and God has told us that the Lord Jesus will be coming back to destroy the world and create a new heavens and a new earth: 

“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness”  (2 Peter 3:7-13).

“Inspired by ancient Chinese myths and legends … martial arts”

Most myths and legends from non-Christian countries and religions are inspired by Satan and his demons.  As Britain forsakes God and His Truth, many people are now turning back to ancient pagan, mystic, and occult ideas and practices.  The Martial Arts also stem from the East and few of them do not have a spiritual element to them. 

However, God plainly says we are NOT to allow our children to be “inspired” by false myths and legends and practices, but instead we are to teach them to walk in the Truth of His Word and His Gospel: 

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ”  (Colossians 2:6-8). 

“Mystical realm … Parallel spirit world … transported to the spirit world” 

We all know there is a “parallel spirit world”.  But far from encouraging us to be “transported” to it, or to receive its “spirit powers”, the Bible commands us to keep our little ones far from it and in the safety of God’s Kingdom: 

  “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth”  (3 John 1:4).

“Monkey people … giant snakes … their mentor, Shen, a chinese water dragon” 

The Media are introducing ever more ugly and hideous little creatures into their children’s films and TV programmes.  Demons are ugly and hideous too, but if Satan can get children used to his demons through comic-type TV characters that are ‘cute’ rather than ‘scary’, and if he can convince them to accept these creatures as ‘normal’ rather than ‘abnormal’, then it’s much easier for him to persuade them to participate in occult activities as they grow older. 

Snakes and dragons often hold a high place in many false religions.  Satan is described as a snake (or serpent) and a dragon by God in the Bible.  A “mentor” is someone who is considered a “trusted advisor”.  Well, Satan “advised” Eve in the Garden of Eden to eat the forbidden fruit which brought death to the whole world.  Obviously no parent would want their precious child to have Satan as a mentor!: 

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:  But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die’.  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die”  (Genesis 3:1-4).

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled [deluded, lied to] Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ”  (2 Corinthians 11:3).

“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”  (Revelation 12:9). 

Another name for a mentor in this context is a “familiar spirit”.  This is an evil spirit which comes to a person in the form of an animal - or, as is being encouraged in some schools in America today, an “imaginary friend” - to ‘guide’ and ‘help’ and ‘advise’ that person with decisions.  (The witch’s black cat, for example, in many fairy tales is a familiar spirit.): 

“There shall not be found among you any one … that is a consulter with familiar spirits [“Shen, the mentor dragon” is a familiar spirit] … For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD” (Deut 18:10-12). 

The Bible says that parents should be their child’s “mentor”, constantly training them up in the Holy Ways of the Lord: 

“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up”  (Deuteronomy 6:5-7). 

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”  (Proverbs 22:6). 

“dealing with devious fortune tellers … their new spirit powers” 

God condemns fortune tellers and all those who practice occult or magic arts.  Yet, through the TV programmes they watch, children are being encouraged by Satan to think these practices are not evil, but are normal or even good. 

As for “getting to grips with their new spirit powers”, God applies the same condemnation to anyone having “spirit powers” as He does to fortune tellers.  It makes no difference whether the “spirit powers” are supposedly used for ‘good’ or ‘evil’.  It makes no difference whether they are so-called ‘white’ magic or ‘black’ magic, or whether they are on the ‘light’ or the ‘dark’ side of the ‘force’; they are ALL abominable to God.  The Harry Potter books and films, for example, which actually make ‘heroes’ of witches and wizards and such like are an absolute abomination to God: 

“There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination [fortune telling], or an observer of times [fortune telling/astrologer/horoscopes], or an enchanter [makes spells/potions], or a witch, or a charmer [magician], or a consulter with familiar spirits [“Shen, the mentor dragon” would be a familiar spirit], or a wizard, or a necromancer [conjuring up the dead].  For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD”  (Deut 18:10-13).

“confront their own worst nightmares” 

Satan loves to terrify our children by giving them nightmares and filling their little minds with evil, but God says that far from encouraging the activities of demons, which this would be doing, we are to teach our children to think about good things: 

“whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you”  (Philippians 4:8-9).

“Spirit Warriors” 

Yes, Christians battle against a spiritual enemy: Satan and his demons, but the only way we are to fight that battle, and to teach our little ones to fight that battle, is by closely following the Lord Jesus Who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life.  And the only kind of warrior a Christian – adult or child – is called to be is a prayer warrior!: 

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints  (Ephesians 6:10-18).