User blog comment:EvanDude345rv5/Fairy Tail 356: Tartarus Arc Prologue/@comment-7418318-20131020091019/@comment-5580383-20131025052139

Natsu usually loses to people with stronger AoE or  attack potency than him ( Like Laxus and Erza) or people who are much more experienced than him (like Gildarts ).

Destructive power isn't everything but it does help show the  difference in power between  people within Shonen in general.