It seems to me that the Valar, even if we do not call them 'Gods', they are
still quite deific in power and intellect. The Elves are in many ways more
capable than Humans, in they are on average more intelligent and more able to
use their Arts. Nonetheless, Morgoth is still vastly more intelligent than any
of the Elves, he is vastly more powerful, and he has vastly more resources -
his Arts, his evil Arts, are greater than the Elves' Arts. Morgoth simply plays
the forces that fight him off against each-other, even the Elves against the
Elves. The wrath of the other Valar and *only* the wrath of the other Valar can
defeat
Morgoth.