Does the Reference to Jesus as a "Mighty God" indicate that Jesus is a Lesser God than God the Father?

A few summers ago, a friend and I went to a local park to share the gospel. We came across several Jehovah’s Witnesses standing on a corner and offering free literature. We decided to engage them in conversation and ask a few questions. After introducing ourselves and explaining our position, I asked one of the gentlemen to take out his New World Translation Bible and read Isaiah 9:6 aloud.  He read:

"For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us; And the rulership will rest on his shoulder.  His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."

I asked, "Who is that verse referring to?"  He answered, "Jesus."  I then said, "Considering Jehovah's Witnesses reject the deity of Christ, how do you account for Jesus being referred to as 'Mighty God' in this verse?"  He claimed that that Jesus was a 'lesser God' than God the Father.  

However, as the late Norman Geisler and Ron Rhodes explain, this claim is clearly mistaken:

"The folly of the Watchtower position is at once evident in the fact that Jehovah himself is called a 'Mighty God' in the very next chapter of Isaiah (10:21).  That both Jehovah and Jesus are called 'Mighty God' in the same book within the same section demonstrates their equality.

A good cross-reference is Isaiah 40:3, where Jesus is prophetically called both 'Mighty God' (Elohim) and Jehovah (Yahweh): 'A voice is calling, 'Clear the way for the Lord [Yahweh] in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God [Elohim]' (NASB, cf. John 1:23).  

Clearly Jesus is not a lesser God than the Father."1

Courage and Godspeed,
Chad

Footnote:
1. Norman Geisler and Ron Rhodes, Correcting the Cults, p. 78-79.

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