Preach the Word

Before we begin preaching/teaching the Bible, we must be honest and acknowledge whether our hearts are pure and filled with love and sincere faith for the Lord.  Also, as 'preacher' we must conduct ourselves appropriately in the house of the Lord, as described in 1 Timothy 3:15, "if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church   of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth"”   Indeed, a humble attitude is not an option for the preacher/teacher that desires to see the work of God through the message delivered.
The sermon, to be effective, must use an effective tool, "a sharp two-edged sword". When I think of the reference to a two-edged sword I consider how the text of Scripture is to "cut both ways". A text should cut us in terms of reminding us who we used to be without Christ and then cut the other way to encourage us to be what Christ has called us to be. A summary of the entire letter to the Ephesians fits this idea. Distilled into one sentence the Ephesians are encouraged that they cannot live as they once did [chapters 4-6] because they are no longer the people they once were [chapters 1-3]. The sermon is a tool to use the power of the Word to nudge hearers closer to God and closer to His kingdom.
How does a balance of Bible study and prayer fit into the idea of making a sermon/presentation that will, by the grace of God, accomplish the task God wants it to accomplish?