Failure: The Doorway to Success – Greg Laurie Devotion – April 13, 2026

Biblical Context

The Gospel of John stands out among the four New Testament accounts of Jesus’ life. It’s often linked to John, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, often called ‘the beloved disciple.’ He was an eyewitness to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, giving his account a very personal and intimate feel. John’s book focuses on showing Jesus as God’s Son, full of grace and truth, so that everyone who reads it might believe in Him and have life through His name. He doesn’t just tell stories; he reveals deep truths about who Jesus is. This book was likely written late in the first century AD, perhaps after the other Gospels, adding a unique view that fills in some gaps and explores the deeper spiritual meanings of Jesus’ words and actions.

Key Word Study

Let’s look at a simple but important word from our scripture: “caught.” When Jesus asks the disciples, “have you caught any fish?” (John 21:5 nlt), the Greek word used is θηρεύω (thēreúō). This word means to hunt, to catch, to trap, or to ensnare. It speaks of the act of trying to capture something, usually through effort and skill. In this context, it shows the disciples’ attempt and their lack of success. They put in the work, they used their skills, they tried to ‘catch’ something, but came up empty-handed. This simple word truly points to their complete lack of results despite all their hard work through the night.

The Headwinds of Life: Facing Failure

Life can often feel like we’re sailing against strong winds. We call these ‘headwinds’—the situations, feelings, and fights that make our everyday living a real challenge. We’re starting with one of the toughest headwinds we’ll ever face: failure. It’s really difficult because, first, it’s going to happen to everyone. You can’t escape it. Some of us trip up more often than others, but no one gets through life without it. Second, failure often feels so final. It can knock the wind out of your sails and totally derail even your best plans. It can steal your drive, take away your desire to start new things, and even change how you think about yourself. You might start believing you’re not good enough, or that you’re just meant to fail.

But here’s the thing: it only feels that way if you look at it from the wrong angle. There’s another way to see it.

The Disciples’ All-Night Failure

In John 21, we see Jesus’ disciples fresh off an all-night fishing trip on the Sea of Galilee. And what did they have to show for it? Nothing. They hadn’t caught anything. This was after Jesus had already risen and appeared to some of them. There weren’t any clear instructions for what they should do next, so they went back to what they knew best, what they were good at: fishing.

It was early morning, probably still dark or just starting to get light. They saw a figure standing on the shore. He called out to them, saying, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” (John 21:5 nlt). You can almost hear the hope in His voice, even if they couldn’t see it was Him yet.

Jesus’ Probing Questions

Throughout the Bible, God often asks questions that dig deep into our hearts when He wants us to admit something. Here, Jesus was doing the same thing with His disciples. He was asking them, “Did you catch anything? Have you been successful? Have things gone the way you hoped they would? Are you satisfied with how things are going?” He wasn’t asking because He didn’t know the answer. He already knew they’d failed.

So, why did Jesus want them to say out loud that they’d failed? Because He needed to bring them to a certain place. He wanted them to truly feel and admit their lack, their inability, their empty nets. This admission is a starting point, a place where real change can happen.

Failure: The Doorway to Real Success

Then, as Jesus told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat, something amazing happened. Their net became so heavy with fish that they couldn’t even pull it in. They went from catching absolutely nothing all night to catching more fish than they could handle in just one try, just by following His instruction. The Lord was showing the disciples a truly important lesson right there on the sea: failure often is the doorway to real success. It’s when we realize we can’t do it our way that we open ourselves up to His way.

We need to get to that same place in our own lives too. We need to look at our circumstances, our struggles, our empty nets, and honestly say, “Lord, I’m not satisfied with how my life is going. I’m really tired of doing it my way. I want to do it Your way.” When you come to God with that kind of open and honest attitude, He will give you His forgiveness. Then, He won’t just patch things up; He will take your life and change it in ways you couldn’t even imagine.

God Uses Those Who Stumble

I mentioned that some people seem to fail more often than others. You know what? Those are often the very people God uses in the biggest ways. Think about it: the more often you try, the harder you push yourself, the more willing you are to step out of what feels comfortable, the more likely you are to stumble and fall. It’s just a part of trying new and difficult things, whether it’s sometimes or a lot.

But, as that old saying goes, it’s not about how many times you fall down; it’s about how many times you get back up. And here’s the good news: if you put your trust in the Lord, every single time you get back up, you’ll be a little bit wiser, a little bit stronger, and a little bit more able to bounce back. You won’t be the same person you were before the fall. And God can do absolutely incredible things with someone who has that kind of experience, that kind of grit and determination that comes from trusting Him through every stumble.

Reflection question: How might a past failure be a doorway to future success in your life?